View topic - Shawn Suisham; Should He Stay Or Go?

[Steelers76 Profile]

Kicker Shawn Suisham's performance has been steadily going downhill after a very good regular season last year. Actually, he started to slip in last year's post season. This year, he is 18 for 24 on FGs, which translates to a 75% success rate. Something tells me he is going to cost this team a win down the road with a crucial miss in a key game. That being said, another part of me says he is the best this team has or can get, and if there was somebody better out there, he would be The K and not Suisham. However, Jeff Reed was just out there doing nothing in mid season of The 2002 campaign, and he ended up giving The Steelers several solid years before totally falling off a cliff last season. I really could go in either direction on this topic. Thoughts?

[Pommah Profile]

He is adequate, no more, no less. It would be really good to have a top notch kicker. Unfortunately we never seem to be able to locate one, either kicker or punter.

To me it is telling when nobody wants your castoffs. Other teams clamored for Burress, Tonio, for example. Who has picked up Reed?

And for that matter, take a look at OC. Mike Mularkey gets a HC job. Whisenhunt gets a HC job. Arians has held the OC role for 5 years now; anybody clamoring to make him head coach? If he got offed by the Steelers, only job he could get would be as a position coach. Nobody would even pick him up for OC.

[Steelers76 Profile]

Last I heard of Jeff Reed, he was cut by The Seahawks in training camp this past summer. Actually had a pretty decent 2nd half of the season with The 49ers last year after he was picked up by them after The Steelers waived him. Maybe it was his few brushes with the law the past couple of years, and/or his attitude that turned other teams off from giving him a look?

[Coke Oven Profile]

"Kicker Shawn Suisham's performance has been steadily going downhill after a very good regular season last year. Actually, he started to slip in last year's post season. This year, he is 18 for 24 on FGs, which translates to a 75% success rate. Something tells me he is going to cost this team a win down the road with a crucial miss in a key game. That being said, another part of me says he is the best this team has or can get, and if there was somebody better out there, he would be The K and not Suisham. However, Jeff Reed was just out there doing nothing in mid season of The 2002 campaign, and he ended up giving The Steelers several solid years before totally falling off a cliff last season. I really could go in either direction on this topic. Thoughts?"

Your observations are correct. My question is this. Just why in hell is this exact same pattern seen in each and every kicker that the Steelers acquire? I'd really like an explanation for that.

[isfry Profile]

"Your observations are correct. My question is this. Just why in hell is this exact same pattern seen in each and every kicker that the Steelers acquire? I'd really like an explanation for that.[/quote]

might have something to do with Heinz Field being a really shitty place to kick. Just a thought. Also, it seems to me that the kicker was a more important part of our arsenal in the Cowher era, when we wanted to (and could) just pound three yards and a cloud of dust, inch down the field and kick for three points after a 6 or 7 minute drive, and then our D would (and could) force quick stops. The FG % is concerning, but at least he seems to be getting some touchbacks lately.