This is a recap of the top Buffalo Bills news stories over the past week, including their starting kicker.
In the final days of training camp, the Buffalo Bills decided to go with the young, powerful leg of Tyler Bass over Stephen Hauschka.
Though it may be looked down upon by football fans as an unnecessary position, a kicker is a vital part of a team’s offense. Responsible for field goals and kickoffs their impact is just as crucial as a quarterback, just ask the Chicago Bears or even prior Super Bowl Bills teams how important a kicker is.
In opting to go with the young gun from Georgia Southern, Tyler Bass was announced as the Bills starter as the team opted to go with his talents over experienced kicker Stephen Hauschka.
Hauschka, 35, has seen his performance fall from grace over the past few seasons from his time in Seattle where he accumulated a career-high field goal percentage in 93.5. That number has since fallen to a career-low (over 16 games) of 78.6.
With points so vital in the NFL, Buffalo opted to go with a kicker in Bass who has shown numerous times during camp that he has the leg that Hauschka just does not anymore. Though he is not perfect it has been reported that Bass went six-for-six in his first practice as a starter, knocking down a 50-yard attempt in his final effort.
In a city deserving of a Super Bowl championship and seems to have every piece of the puzzle now, the team can now cross off their need for a “reliable kicker”.