The difference between Miami and New England

[dolphins4life]

besides the horrible calls that the Patriots get so often...................

Kicking.

Look at Gostowkski's numbers this year: 28/30 on Field goals.  and 4-5.  He has made the difference in several games this year.

Look at Sturgis: 23/30 on Field Goals, and 3-6 from 50+ yards

If we look deeper, we see the effect

- Baltimore: missed potential game tying field goal
- Buffalo: missed field goal in a game decided by two points
- New England: missed field goal that swung the momentum
- Carolina: a missed field goal that was critical in the game.

Give Miami three of those games and they are 9-3

Let's go even deeper.

It seems you hear this story all the time:  The Patriots looked shaky but managed to pull out a close win in the end.  Coincidentally, Gostowski has been one of the accurate kickers in the NFL for the last few seasons.  Coincidence?  I think not.

[Sunstroke]

Yes, that's it...kicking and bad calls. I'm sure it has nothing to do with New England having a significantly better QB, a significantly better head coach and a significantly better front office to bring in talent.

Definitely bad calls and kicking...

 

[dolphins4life]

Let's put it this way.  If Sturgis was performing as well as Ghostowski, the Dolphins would be at least 8-4, and probably 9-3

[MikeO]

Pats have a Hall of fame coach and a hall of fame QB.....that's how they are better than damn near every other team in the league. Those are the only differences that matter.

[dolphins4life]

^^^^

So, are you saying they HAVEN'T played several games that have come down to kicking?

[masterfins]

Obviously its Brady and Belicheck, but D4L has a point.  Without an outstanding kicker NE would have (2) more losses, because the rest of the team is only average (also except for Gronk).

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The difference between NE (and most of the rest of the league) is not just the kicker but all 53 players.  Lots of GMs/coaches worry about the 22 starters and don't pay too much attention to the bottom half of the roster.

BB cares about the quality of the kicker, the punter, the 6th DB, the 3rd QB, etc. 

[dolphins4life]

Give us a kicker who performed like Ghostowski and the Dolphins would have made the playoffs in 2011 and 2012.

[mecadonzilla]

Give us a kicker who performed like Ghostowski and the Dolphins would have made the playoffs in 2011 and 2012.

The Dolphins would have found new and heart breaking ways to lose.  Combined with a lack of talent, lack of attention to detail, and a chronic lack of killer instinct this team was going no where.  It's truly absurd to think a kicker is the major difference between these two teams.

[dolphins4life]

^^^^

And I provided facts and evidence to show that it is

[mecadonzilla]

^^^^

And I provided facts and evidence to show that it is

No, you really didn't.

[EKnight]

I'd say the glaring difference is Miami's ability to have some very notable players blossom when they leave the Phins (Marshall, Bush, Welker) vs. the Pats ability to squeeze more out of players other teams have given up on (Moss, Dillon, Welker). -EK

[Fau Teixeira]

Welker was never "given up on" here .. he was very productive .. NE tossed him a poison pill restricted free agent contract while at the same time offering us a 2nd for him.

the bears can keep marshall .. he was a bum here, he continues to be a bum up in chicago .. he just has better stats now .. they've been in the playoffs 0 times since he's been there

[EKnight]

A player of Welker's talent at WR used mostly as a returner and then traded sounds like given up on to me. Bum or not, Marshall has been the best WR in football not named Johnson since he left. How do you account for that? Or Bush? Even Long and Carpenter have been better since they left. And didn't I see Sean Smith with a 101 yard INT earlier this year? Lotta players for it to be merely coincidence. -EK

[MikeO]

Sean Smith still sucks. One lucky play doesn't change that.