INDIANAPOLIS -- We are now 10 seasons removed from Adam Vinatieri’s somewhat shocking departure from the Patriots and flight to the hated Colts. And 10 drafts removed from when the Patriots selected Vinatieri’s replacement -- Stephen Gostkowski -- in the fourth round.
Not that anyone could replace Vinatieri, arguably the greatest kicker in NFL history, certainly the author of more dramatic kicks than anyone in NFL history, and probably bound for the Hall of Fame ,where he’ll join the only other kicker to make it, Jan Stenerud.
Yet amazingly, impossibly, Gostkowski has exceeded Vinatieri as a Patriot in terms of accuracy and production.
In 10 seasons with the Patriots, Vinatieri was 220-for-257 (85.6 percent) in the regular season and 30-for-34 in the postseason. In nine-plus seasons, Gostkowski is 253-for-290 (87.2 percent) and 20-for-22 in the postseason.
There probably hasn’t been a greater pair of kickers back-to-back in league history.
Who’s better? Well, it’s hard to say Gostkowski is because he never had to kick in the crucible of playoff pressure that Vinatieri did.
That was the point raised a few weeks back when Gostkowski set the record for PATs without a miss: Gostkowski has never had a “signature kick.”
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It’s true. Even though Gostkowski was a game-impacting kicker in 2013 -- his best season -- he’s never had a buzzer-beater like Vinatieri did in the Snow Bowl or Super Bowl 36 or Super Bowl 38.
But how many kickers have? Aside from those kicks, the other two most memorable makes in the Super Bowl-era are Tom Dempsey’s 63-yarder and Jim O’Brien’s game-winner for the Colts in Super Bowl V.
The other signature kicker moments are infamous -- Garo Yepremian’s weirdness for the perfect Dolphins in ‘72, Scott Norwood’s wide right and Gary Anderson’s miss for the Vikings in the ’98 AFC Championship.
It’s hard to damn Gostkowski for not winning a Super Bowl for the Patriots with a swing of his foot as Vinatieri did. Only one other kicker in history did (O’Brien).
Vinatieri sure won’t damn him.
Speaking to Mike Giardi this week, Vinatieri said, “Oh, he’s awesome. He’s put 10 great years together. I’ve got the utmost respect for him. I think he’s unbelievable. I think he’s one of the best that’s played. I really do. He’s been a consistently very, very strong kicker, and it’s another year where he’s continuing to do his stuff. He’s a very big asset for that team and he helps them win a lot of games. Good for them. Good for him."
Sunday night could be the final time Gostkowski and Vinatieri are on a field together as players. Even though he was an All-Pro last year, it’s getting late for Adam. Even if it is the last time they’re together in uniform, it would be a surprise if they aren’t both wearing the blood red Patriots Hall of Fame jackets at some point down the road. And maybe even mustard yellow in Canton someday, too.