Kicker decision between Bass /Prater

[Jistafan]

Normally teams don’t replace starters when they come off IR. Any chance Prater sticks?

[PayDaBill$]

Idk but that was a horrendous kick tonight 

[Brand J]

Someone in the GDT said they had never seen a kick that bad. They must have missed the Bass chip shot against the Steelers in the playoffs that sliced wiiiiiiide left. THAT was the ugliest kick I’ve ever seen. 

[Freddie's Dead]

I don't know, that shank of a kick made me nervous every time he kicks....

[BillsFanForever19]

I said when Prater came in for Bass and it's the same now, it's really simple - if Prater is streaking and Bass is ready, you just keep him on IR until if or when Prater proves to be a liability.

 

That said, that Kick today was horrific. Hopefully it's an anomaly and Prater stays hot. If that's the case, again, you just keep Bass on IR. But if it isn't and he continues to miss kicks, then Bass is going to definitely come back in when he's fully ready.

[Walking Tall]

None.

 

This is Bass’s job. 
 

 

[NoSaint]

I think you see where bass is once healthy but all things similar it should be him 

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

Im all Prater all the way. I think he must have slipped on the one. The guy hasn’t missed a kick in a year and a half. I’m willing to assume that one was a slip. Nailed a big one at the end to seal it. All Prater. Idw to see bass again 

[davefan66]

Have not seen the missed FG play?  Did he slip? Poor hold?

 

I love Praters ability to place the kickoffs in the corner pretty much every time. Has done a great job except for this miss but he did connect on the one to ice the game.

 

From what I understand a player on 4 game minimum IR has no designated time to come off IR. I say keep Bass on IR and go with Prater until he proves you wrong.
 

Honestly, I’ve had about enough of Bass.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

8 minutes ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

Im all Prater all the way. I think he must have slipped on the one. The guy hasn’t missed a kick in a year and a half. I’m willing to assume that one was a slip. Nailed a big one at the end to seal it. All Prater. Idw to see bass again 

I appreciate the wishful thinking, but that didn’t look like a slip. I would love to have him explain what happened, because he shanked that horrendously.

[gobills404]

Some people (not in this thread necessarily) still talk about Bass like he’s a young player that just needs to get his confidence back. He’s a 28 year old vet in his 6th season that has been a below average NFL kicker the last 2 years. And that’s after Beane made him one of the highest paid kickers in the league. Not saying Prater has locked up the job or anything, but Bass really needs to prove himself when he comes off IR or his future should be in doubt.

[NickelCity]

Prater has earned one mulligan as far as I'm concerned.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

You philistines just don’t understand the artistry behind Prater’s kick tonight, which was clearly meant as a postmodern subversion on the notion of prescriptive success through the lens of goalposts.

 

 “What if the ‘good’ kick were somewhere over here?” asks the artist, “ten yards to the left”.  “Isn’t there an equally valid world where THIS is worth your precious three points while the straight kick is valueless?”

[The Gravytrain]

Here's the deal with Prater. It's like golf. Prater plays a fade. Every kick fades. Almost all of his FGs and XPs have been a fade from the left hash mark. 

 

When Josh got sacked it was on the right side, but the refs marked it in the middle. So Prater, like a golfer, was thinking I can't fade. and he over cooked it.

 

That's all that was.

 

A guy thinking donlt push it right and he over compensated. 

[uticaclub]

Although the sample size is small, Prater has made 7 out of 8 attempts, giving him an 87.5% rate, which is equal to Bass's highest average oin 2021. Over the last two years, Bass has made around an 82% of his kicks. If Prater goes 3 for 3 against NOLA, Bass should lose his job.

[stevestojan]

32 minutes ago, Walking Tall said:

None.

 

This is Bass’s job. 
 

 

That’s nice and all but it’s just not true. Prater kicked with confidence, everything (mainly XPs) were dead down the middle. 
 

Where your statement becomes more true was the absolute dog ***** kick tonight. Now it gets interesting if he misses another kick next week. But if he doesn’t, he’s historically and currently much better than Bass, and gives us both a better chance to win and us fans less heartburn.
 

Here’s hoping tonight’s kick was just a fluke. And I feel like it had to have been because he missed by three zip codes; he wasn’t just off by a few feet. Something odd about that one from a proven excellent kicker. 
 

 

 

Edited 50 minutes ago by stevestojan

[gonzo1105]

I honestly would stick with Prater until he gives you a reason not to. The Bills also could stick Prater back on the Practice squad but that does open him up to being signed. We now have a veteran spot available again due to Dan Feeney going to the Buccaneers. 

[H2o]

The question is who do you trust? I trust Prater more than Bass. I'd stick with him unless he becomes erratic.  

[Walking Tall]

8 minutes ago, stevestojan said:

That’s nice and all but it’s just not true. Prater kicked with confidence, everything (mainly XPs) were dead down the middle. 
 

Where your statement becomes more true was the absolute dog ***** kick tonight. Now it gets interesting if he misses another kick next week. But if he doesn’t, he’s historically and currently much better than Bass, and gives us both a better chance to win and us fans less heartburn.
 

Here’s hoping tonight’s kick was just a fluke. And I feel like it had to have been because he missed by three zip codes; he wasn’t just off by a few feet. Something odd about that one from a proven excellent kicker. 
 

 

 

It is true and McDermott has said so. It’s Tyler Bass’s job.

[JGMcD2]

Honestly, unless our kicker goes 50/50 from 50+ yards, people here are gonna overreact no matter what. MVP Mark Moseley could be kicking and folks would still cry about it.

 

Bass has a higher career FG% than four-time Super Bowl champ and three-time All-Pro Adam Vinatieri, for *****’s sake. 

 

What the ***** else do we want? He missed a couple XPs and FGs - it ***** happens.

Edited 37 minutes ago by JGMcD2