3 bold predictions for the Panthers vs. Bucs in Week 10
Joey Slye will successfully kick a field goal from at least 50 yards.
Praised for having a “big leg”, Joey Slye has had his share of frustrating misses on field goals and extra points from shorter distances.
If he wants to remain a kicker in the NFL, he’s going to have to show he can make these sorts of attempts when it matters most on game day. The former Virginia Tech Hokie is 0 for 4 on kicks from at least 50 yards. But we can probably give him a pass for two of those which were kicked from 65 and 67 yards out respectively.
However, it’s not too much to ask for a NFL kicker to be more consistent between 50 and 60 yards. Slye went eight for 11 from that range last year so he’s already proven he can do so. These misses can be even more biting for a team that has lost almost every game by a narrow margin.
Hopefully, he can right the ship in Bank of America Stadium on Sunday against a tough Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that probably won’t give the Carolina Panthers too many opportunities to reach the red zone.
If he can’t make long kicks this year, Slye’s time in Charlotte may be finished as he is only on a one-year deal. And if actions across the NFL over the years have taught us anything, players at his position are often scapegoats.