Jeff Hafley isn't too concerned about the dropped punt snap by Bradley Pinion. The Miami Dolphins head coach wasn't pleased, but the punter's lengthy career gets him a pass. The same can't be said for kicker Riley Patterson.
Patterson missed a second field goal in two weeks, and while the head coach isn't saying it out loud, his demeanor said more than his words. Hafley met with the media after Sunday's loss to the 49ers, and Patterson needs to pay attention.
"Yeah, we gotta hit the field goals," Hafley said. "That's two misses in two games. We are counting on him to make those kicks."
Miami Dolphins kicker may be on a short leash if keeping woes continue
Hafley said that Pinion has been "Punting for a very long time. He has to catch the ball." That's true, but telecast replay showed that he had made the catch and just simply dropped it as he was getting ready to, well, drop it and kick it.
Patterson isn't going to be as fortunate. The kicker's job is important because it puts points on the board, but more importantly, it keeps the field position in favor of the team kicking the field goal. Patterson's inconsistency is giving opposing teams great field position.
The Dolphins' defense isn't good enough to absorb missed field goal attempts, but the Dolphins' offense isn't good enough to get touchdowns consistently. That leaves Miami desperate for points, but what happens if the FG attempts fall flat?
The first big change may be the kicker himself. Kickers are a dime a dozen on the street free-agent market. They are easily replaceable, but consistent production is much harder to find. In the case of a player who is inconsistent, however, the only alternative is to replace them.
Patterson did well last year for the Dolphins, making 27 of 29 attempts, including a career-long 54-yarder. In two games, the kicker has already matched that miss total, and that is not good for a team that needs to put every point they can on the board.
The Dolphins entered camp with two kickers, but Zayne Gonzalez got hurt and was released, giving the job to Patterson. There are not a lot of free-agent options, but one name to keep an eye on, should things continue to go south, is Brandon McManus, who was with the Packers last season.
McManus, Matt Prater, and Graham Gano are the only kickers available with any degree of experience, but there are plenty of options if the Dolphins are looking for someone young and hungry.
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