The Los Angeles Rams have a kicker problem. Again.
For the second straight season, the Rams rank near the bottom in the NFL in field goal accuracy. Rookie kicker Joshua Karty has struggled in his first 10 games of the season but unlike other positions, a kicker’s issues are always on full display – and the world watched him miss the shortest field goal in the league on Sunday.
Karty pushed a 26-yard attempt wide right, clanking the kick off the upright. It’s especially concerning that he started on the left hash, which tells you how far right he pushed the kick.
Fortunately, it didn’t cost the Rams a win as they beat the Patriots, 28-22, but it’s possible Karty’s inaccuracy could cost him his job. After the game, Sean McVay admitted he lost confidence in his rookie kicker late in the fourth quarter.
Rather than trying a 52-yard field goal to go up nine points and essentially end the game, the Rams punted and gave the Patriots the ball back with 2:22 left and only a six-point deficit.
“There wasn’t a lot of reason to feel great about that operation today,” McVay said. “Felt good about the defense. I thought Ethan (Evans) and our punt team did a good job of being able to pin them deep. Knowing they needed a touchdown, there wasn’t a whole lot of back and forth. Felt pretty convicted in that decision right there.”
That’s not something a kicker wants to hear. McVay didn’t single out Karty, pointing to the whole kicking “operation,” but it’s obvious what he was referring to. It’s not as if the snap or hold on Karty’s 26-yarder was bad.
McVay also mentioned it was “frustrating” to end that drive before halftime without points, especially with how short the field goal attempt was.
“Would’ve loved for us to come away with points at the end of the half,” he said. “You get all the way down there, it was a great drive by the offense. And for us to not come away with anything, that was frustrating.”
The Rams don’t have another kicker on the roster or practice squad. There are free agents available, but they’re available for a reason.
McVay hasn’t indicated he’s planning to make a kicking change but if Karty keeps missing, he might not have much of a choice. After 10 games, Karty is now 16-for-20 on field goal attempts and 15-for-17 on extra points.
What’s particularly concerning is only one of those misses has come from 50-plus yards, with the others coming between 25 and 49 yards.
The Rams will probably give Karty some leeway as a rookie, but this isn’t a problem they want to have again late in the season like they did last year.