Why it’s basically impossible that the Browns would be 8-5 without this player, and where his facilitator positions him in the NFL
Joe Flacco isn’t the just long-lasting NFL veteran more than 30 who made an appearance on the Browns’ doorstep this year to assist with saving the season.
The first was kicker Dustin Hopkins, who the Browns acquired in a trade with the Chargers in August and has gone far beyond their expectations.
Hopkins supplanted unsteady second-year kicker Cade York, their fourth-round pick in 2022 – – and has kicked the Browns to the doorstep of the end of the season games. In fact, they wouldn’t be able to work 8-5 without him.
This season, he has kicked three game-winning field goals against the 49ers, Steelers, and Ravens, and he had a monster game against the Colts, making 4 of 4 field goals, including 3 of 50 or more.
The Browns may not currently hold one of the seven AFC playoff spots if he misses any of those game-winning shots or any of those three 50-yarders against the Colts. They are the No in this scenario. 8-5, 5 seed. They might be fighting for the final wild card spot if he missed a few of them. Instead, with four games remaining, they control their own destiny and hold the first of three wild card spots.
At the point when he blast a 55-yarder with 3:10 left in Sunday’s 31-27 triumph over the Panthers, he ran his imprint on kicks of 50 or more this season to 8 for 8, with the all out tying for the NFL lead. In addition, he holds the NFL record for most field goals made with 31, surpassing even the Browns’ previous record.
Regarding Hopkins’ attempt at a 55-yard field goal, special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone stated on Thursday, “It was close.” Kevin (Stefanski) and I discussed it rapidly. Yes, both of us agreed. Clearly, you have the trust in the player by then to finish for us in the activity. He responds with a kick, and the protection is excellent on it. He deserves credit for his outstanding performance throughout the year. Love the youngster, love the hard working attitude, the consistency consistently. Thus, he has had a memorable year.
Ventrone stated, “Yeah, I think it goes back to practice execution equaling game reality, and that’s what has happened.” He has done a good job in practice, with the practice reps, consistency week after week. He’s truly been the best kicker in football as I would like to think. He truly has. All in all, we play in conditions that are difficult. It is challenging to kick into our stadium. We play games in the rain outside. What’s more, he’s worked effectively. He has, in my opinion, been the best player in the league.
A player who had only made 15 of 30 kicks from 50 yards or more prior to this season set a Browns record by going 8 for 8 on 50-plus field goals. He set a NFL record earlier this season by kicking for at least 50 yards in five consecutive games. For the sake of comparison, York made 4 of 7 starts from 50 and up last season, but he only made 3 of 7 starts from 40 to 49 this year before the Browns cut him.
Generally, Hopkins has made 31 of 34 field objectives for 91.2% — twelfth in the NFL — and 20 of 22 additional places. For his efforts, he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Weeks 6 and 7.
Without him, the Browns would be fortunate to have six triumphs, and the association would probably be doing a lot of soul-looking through after the season to figure out how everything veered off-track. GM Andrew Berry made a smart move, and Hopkins has made him look like a genius.
“Credit to (Hopkins),” Ventrone said. ” He has done an outstanding job throughout the year. Love the youngster, love the hard working attitude, the consistency consistently. Thus, he has had a memorable year.
First vocation Master Bowl unique?
Ventrone stated, “It’s not even a question to me.”
