Did the Jets Choose well? Feely v Folk

[Kentucky Jet]

Did the Jets Choose Well?: Jay Feely vs. Nick Folk

by Zach Bjorn Contributor Written on April 06, 2010 Ronald Martinez/ Bleacher Report

Folk or Feely?

With the Jets' first off season move, they signed the Dallas kicker Nick Folk. This was a puzzling move. Why did the Jets not re-sign Feely? Well, a month or two later, the Cardinals signed unrestricted free agent Jay Feely. So the question is: Who is the better choice?

I will be comparing them in accuracy, power, consistency, kickoff, situational and X factor.

First Comparison: Accuaracy: Over his career, Jay Feely has about an 81 percent made field goals to Folk's 79 percent. The difference is really negligable. The big difference is age. Nick Folk at 25 isn't even in his prime, while Feely, 33, is over the hump. Feely has attempted about 150 more kicks than Folk. Last season, Feely achieved an 83 percent to Folk's abombinable 64 percent. However, the year before, Folk nailed a 90.9 percent to Feely's 85.7 percent. Folk's improving, and Feely's not. That is why Folk wins this one.

Winner: Nick Folk

Second Comparison: Power: Nick Folk's career long is a 53, while Feely's is a 55. Negligable, again. Feely's stats from 40-50 are 58-81(career), while his 50+ are 10-20. Folk's are 22-30 and 5-9, respectively. Folk has a slight advantage and will only get better. Folk has a cannon for a leg, so expect those numbers to rise.

Winner: Nick Folk

Third Comparison: Consistency: This is the 800-pound gorilla in Nick Folk's room. He had a 90.7 percent season in 2008, and then dropped to 64.3. That is his big issue. Feely lately been very consistent. For the last 5 years, he's hovered at an 85 percent. Most kickers have trouble with consistency early, but the win goes to Feely.

Winner: Jay Feely

Fourth Comparison: Kickoff: Nick Folk did not kickoff in his first year, but in his career managed a 61.1 average. Feely achieved a 63.3 average. He also has about 88 more touch backs, to Folk's 4. Feely also has 6 onside kicks out of 20 recovered to Folk's 1 out of 5.

Winner: Jay Feely

Fifth Comparison: Situational: Last season, Nick Folk logged a 75 percent success rate in fourth quarter kicks to Feely's 70 percent. If you remember the Falcons game, Feely missed three kicks, which would have won the game. Whenever behind, though, last season Feely nailed every kick. In 2008, Folk had similar results.

Winner: Nick Folk

Sixth and Final Comparison: X Factor: The X factor can't be measured accurately, due to uncertainty. It is age. Folk is 25, while Feely is 33. This is huge. This means that Folk could go on to be even better, or fizzle out. At this point in Folk's career, his stats are better than Feely. I think that he could be a star.

Winner: Nick Folk

GRAND WINNER!: Nick Folk.

I believe Folk is the better choice because he has a better leg and is young. It's sad to see Feely leave. He set a consecutive kick record, and was great for us. We'll miss his kicking (and occasionaly punting). However, out with the old, in with the new. It's time for the Folk era.

[aec4]

It's April. I don't believe the kicker situation is 100% finalized yet. People need to relax. It's really, right now, anyway, Folk + a FA signing against Feely.

[NIGHT STALKER]

I'm going with Folk, but not because of the bleacher report...the bleacher report is one of the worst blogs (or whatever it is) out there.

[faba]

Kickers are so fickle- you really never know with just about all of them-maybe Folk can get his confidence back- 90 per cent of the battle.

[Green DNA]

I'm not that concerned about losing Feely, but some of this guy's conclusions seem to come out of nowhere.

BTW, the word is spelled: negligible. Seriously, how do you consistently spell a word wrong in an article. No spell check???

[PatriotReign37]

Oh boy, Folk has played half his games basically in a dome.

Now hes playing at one of the toughest places to kick in the NFL when the weather turns bad. It remains to be seen whether or not the winds will be a problem in the new stadium, but one has to believe the powers that be wanted no roof for that reason.

[Thor99]

Going from 91% to 64% the next season is improving?

Ok.

[nycdan]

Lots of problems with this analysis:

The writer gives Folk the Accuracy point despite a 19% lower accuracy because he is 'younger'. Then gives him the Intangibles point for the same reason.

Then he gives Folk the Power point for being slightly more accurate from 50+ while being quite a bit less accurate from the far more important 40-49 range (73.3% vs. 80% for Feely). On top of that he talks about Folk's 'cannon' but then cites later how Feely has a FAR better touchback ratio on kickoffs.

Clueless.

This was not even close to an upgrade at Kicker.

[Klecko73isGod]

Lots of problems with this analysis:

The writer gives Folk the Accuracy point despite a 19% lower accuracy because he is 'younger'. Then gives him the Intangibles point for the same reason.

Then he gives Folk the Power point for being slightly more accurate from 50+ while being quite a bit less accurate from the far more important 40-49 range (73.3% vs. 80% for Feely). On top of that he talks about Folk's 'cannon' but then cites later how Feely has a FAR better touchback ratio on kickoffs.

Clueless.

This was not even close to an upgrade at Kicker.

Actually, it's only a 2% lower accuracy over the course of his career.

[#27TheDominator]

Going from 91% to 64% the next season is improving?

Ok.

+1. That's what I was going to bitch about.

Folk is only going to get better. Except for last year, when he was worse.

[Stonehands]

Going from 91% to 64% the next season is improving?

Ok.

I think he is considering 64% to the 100% he probably has credited Folk with making this year as improving. That whole post could have used a re-read and a judicious use of the delete button.

[rick34125]

Did the Jets Choose Well?: Jay Feely vs. Nick Folk

by Zach Bjorn Contributor Written on April 06, 2010 Ronald Martinez/ Bleacher Report

Folk or Feely?

With the Jets' first off season move, they signed the Dallas kicker Nick Folk. This was a puzzling move. Why did the Jets not re-sign Feely? Well, a month or two later, the Cardinals signed unrestricted free agent Jay Feely. So the question is: Who is the better choice?

I will be comparing them in accuracy, power, consistency, kickoff, situational and X factor.

First Comparison: Accuaracy: Over his career, Jay Feely has about an 81 percent made field goals to Folk's 79 percent. The difference is really negligable. The big difference is age. Nick Folk at 25 isn't even in his prime, while Feely, 33, is over the hump. Feely has attempted about 150 more kicks than Folk. Last season, Feely achieved an 83 percent to Folk's abombinable 64 percent. However, the year before, Folk nailed a 90.9 percent to Feely's 85.7 percent. Folk's improving, and Feely's not. That is why Folk wins this one.

Winner: Nick Folk

Second Comparison: Power: Nick Folk's career long is a 53, while Feely's is a 55. Negligable, again. Feely's stats from 40-50 are 58-81(career), while his 50+ are 10-20. Folk's are 22-30 and 5-9, respectively. Folk has a slight advantage and will only get better. Folk has a cannon for a leg, so expect those numbers to rise.

Winner: Nick Folk

Third Comparison: Consistency: This is the 800-pound gorilla in Nick Folk's room. He had a 90.7 percent season in 2008, and then dropped to 64.3. That is his big issue. Feely lately been very consistent. For the last 5 years, he's hovered at an 85 percent. Most kickers have trouble with consistency early, but the win goes to Feely.

Winner: Jay Feely

Fourth Comparison: Kickoff: Nick Folk did not kickoff in his first year, but in his career managed a 61.1 average. Feely achieved a 63.3 average. He also has about 88 more touch backs, to Folk's 4. Feely also has 6 onside kicks out of 20 recovered to Folk's 1 out of 5.

Winner: Jay Feely

Fifth Comparison: Situational: Last season, Nick Folk logged a 75 percent success rate in fourth quarter kicks to Feely's 70 percent. If you remember the Falcons game, Feely missed three kicks, which would have won the game. Whenever behind, though, last season Feely nailed every kick. In 2008, Folk had similar results.

Winner: Nick Folk

Sixth and Final Comparison: X Factor: The X factor can't be measured accurately, due to uncertainty. It is age. Folk is 25, while Feely is 33. This is huge. This means that Folk could go on to be even better, or fizzle out. At this point in Folk's career, his stats are better than Feely. I think that he could be a star.

Winner: Nick Folk

GRAND WINNER!: Nick Folk.

I believe Folk is the better choice because he has a better leg and is young. It's sad to see Feely leave. He set a consecutive kick record, and was great for us. We'll miss his kicking (and occasionaly punting). However, out with the old, in with the new. It's time for the Folk era.

there was a typo in this article. the date should read April 1, 2010.

[Bruce Banner]

I still say this move doesn't make sense unless it was meant to enable the Jets to sign someone else under the crazy rules. Here's the real reason the Jets let Feely go: