It has been no secret for Rams fans that the team has suffered from inconsistent kicking performances since the hiring of special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.
Having gone through three kickers in two years, the prevalent problems of missed field goals and extra points have somehow plagued every player who inherits the starting job. When looking at Brett Maher, Lucas Haversik, and Joshua Karty, you have three kickers with three different backgrounds and experience levels. Yet, as Rams, all three kickers have had a field goal make percentage between 73.9-76.2%.
However, it is not a case of the Rams signing kickers with that percentage. Maher was effective in the year before he joined the Rams. During his 2023 season in Los Angeles, Maher’s FG accuracy was 73.9% with two missed extra points in 15 attempts. He was also 10-of-17 from 40 yards and beyond.
In 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys, Maher’s FG accuracy was 90% with three missed extra points in 50 attempts. He was 15-for-18 from 40-plus yards. Maher was coached by former Rams STC John Fassel during that season.
Lucas Havrisik was an inconsistent kicker throughout his collegiate career and he has yet to play a game in the NFL outside of his stint with the Rams so Blackburn wasn’t entirely to blame in 2023. But Karty’s performances in 2024 have changed that narrative.
Karty has only made 76.2% of his field goal attempts with two extra points missed and a 5-for-8 mark from 40-plus yards. Considering he’s supposed to be getting better coaching in the NFL, Karty should have better numbers from his days in college but they are in fact worse.
In 2023 as a member of the Stanford Cardinal, Karty made 85.2% of his field goals and was 11-for-14 from 40+ yards. The problem appears to be Blackburn.
Until the Rams fix whatever issues Blackburn is causing, whoever is kicking the ball will be subject to the same failures as before. It seems cruel to say but not being able to retain John Fassel in 2019 seems even more frustrating when the former Rams special teams coordinator has turned Brandon Aubrey into an All-Pro.
