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The importance of making a field goal

Jonathan Hamelin • July 12, 2010 • Comments (0)

Teams in the CFL have become a little more conservative when it comes to attempting field goals.

The reason? More and more missed field goals are being brought back all the way for a touchdown. Through two weeks of the young CFL season, there have already been three missed field goals returned for touchdowns. There were only two during the entire 2009 season.

Of course, in the CFL missing a field goal has always been a dangerous thing. After all, with mostly bigger players in to block, the returner doesn’t have to beat many people to go all the way to the end zone. This year it seems to be happening at a frenzied rate.

To make matters worse for the teams who have been scored against on a missed field goal return, a couple of these returns have swung or almost swung the game in their opponent’s favour.

In Week 1, during the spectacular Montreal-Saskatchewan opening game, Alouettes’ returner Tim Maypray ran a missed field goal 125 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown gave Montreal a 33-12 lead and should have been enough to secure them the win. In the Toronto Argonauts’ 36-34 stunning victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 2, it was a 117-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown by Chad Owens that gave the Argonauts the lead for good. Marcus Thigpen’s 118-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown in Week 1 against Winnipeg at least gave the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a chance to get back in the game.

Because of this new trend, it has put more pressure on both coaches and kickers.

Coaches have become more cautious when it comes to kicking field goals. They will sometimes pass on field goals from the 45-50 yard range that they may not have passed on before. Instead, these coaches decide to punt the ball away and pin their opponent deep. Their reasoning is simple. Instead of risking a long kick, which if missed could easily be returned for a touchdown, why not pin their opponent in deep, which could possibly result in a safety?

What happens when a kicker misses a field goal? Well, this season in the CFL it has usually meant a touchdown for the other team.

Kickers have more pressure on them then ever. They know that not only will their team not get three points if they miss their field goal, but it could possibly go back the other way for a touchdown.

In general, the play of the special teams in the CFL has been, well, special. That is unless you are talking about the cover team.

In 2009, there were only seven return touchdowns. Heading into Week 3, there are already six (one kickoff return, two punt returns and three missed field goal returns).

One of the big reasons for this is because talented kick returners have emerged in the CFL.

Thigpen has been the big story of the season so far. After failing to make the roster in Riderville, Thigpen joined the Tiger-Cats. Since then, he has the return triple-crown. Thigpen has a kickoff, punt and missed field goal return touchdown. He has been one of the stories of the season so far, making the Riders look slightly foolish for letting him go.

Owen has also been a big story for Toronto. Coming over at the beginning of the season in a trade from Montreal, Owens already has a punt and missed field goal return touchdown.

There are, of course, some people that aren’t thrilled about the emergence of the return game in the CFL, special team’s coaches. More pressure has now been placed on these men to work hard and prevent these return touchdowns from happening against them.

But, there is likely nothing giving the coaches more grief than missed field goal returns for touchdowns.

When kickers attempt a field goal in the CFL these days, there is more than just three points on the line.

Three Downs With Jonathan Hamelin appears Monday on CFL Daily Dose. Hamelin is an aspiring journalist who has a freelance contract with the Regina Leader-Post and is a veteran online CFL columnist. His work can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Author

An aspiring journalist who has a freelance contract with the Regina Leader-Post and is a veteran online CFL columnist. Hamelin currently attends the University of Regina and is enrolled in the pre-journalism program. After this year, he will apply for the school of journalism. Hamelin has had work published in his highschool paper, university paper, Regina's paper and a number of online sites. For a look at all of his work, visit http://jonathansjournalismportfolio.webs.com/

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