Does it seem like Giorgio Tavecchio is kicking more touchbacks than what we’re used to seeing in Oakland?
Believe it or not, it’s true.
The powerful leg of Sebastian Janikowski was responsible for touchbacks on 47.3% of kickoffs in 2016 and the highest percentage of his career came in 2014 when 55.7% of his kicks stayed in the endzone.
Remarkably, Tavecchio is getting touchbacks on 72.4% of his kicks this season – a 25% increase from Janikowski’s rate a year ago.
ProFootballFocus analytics actually rank the Raiders’ 27 year-old “rookie” as the fifth longest kicker in terms of “driving distance” this season with an average of 69.1 yards-per-kickoff.
Tavecchio has been slightly less accurate than Janikowski on field goals (77.8%) after beginning the season by converting his first nine attempts. He has connected on just five of his nine field goal attempts since.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Special teams coverage was pretty good last year. I think this was part of the game plan to try to stop teams inside the 20.
One doesn’t always want a touch back. I’d rather my opponent start their drive from the 20, 15, 10, 5….
but he can’t make a 39 yard field goal
SMH
Dude sucks. Helped cost us 2 games at least. Last game included