Congratulations, Atta Boy, And Hats Off Are All In Order For Saints Kicker Blake Grupe!
Grupe set the Saints All-Time Franchise Record For a Rookie for FG Attempts in a Single Season in Week 17 against the Bucs with his 35th Attempt of the Season. He still has 1 game remaining in the season to add to that record number. (Will Lutz previously held the Rookie Record with 34 Attempts in 2016.)
Grupe Tied the Saints All-Time Franchise Record For a Rookie for FGs Made in a Single Season in Week 17 against the Bucs with his 28th Made FG of the Season. He still has 1 game remaining to Break the record and add to his total. (Will Lutz Made 28 FGs as a Rookie in 2016)
Grupe Tied the Saints All-Time Franchise Record For a Rookie for FGs Made in a Single Season from between 40-49 Yards with his 8th such kick when he Made a 45 yarder in Week 17 against the Bucs. (Will Lutz Made 8 such FGs in 2016 as a Rookie Kicker) Grupe has one more game to add to his total and own the record outright.
Grupe Already Broke the Saints All-Time Franchise Record For Most FGs Made as a Rookie from 40+ Yards out. He added to that with a 45 Yarder against the Bucs in Week 17, raising his total to 14. (As a Rookie Will Lutz Made 11 FGs from 40+Yards out.) Grupe has one more game to add to his total Rookie Record number.
The Saints All-Time Franchise Record For Most FGs Made from 40+ Yards Out in a Single Season is 17, by Will Lutz in 2017.
Grupe is currently Tied for 2nd in Saints All-Time Franchise History in a Single Season with Morten Andersen, who made 14 FGs from 40+ Yards Out in 1985. Grupe has one more game to add to his total.
Grupe Broke the Saints All-Time Rookie Franchise Record For FGs Made from 50+ Yards out in Week 9 of the 2023 Season against the Bears when he Made a 55 Yarder in the 3rd Quarter to Break a Tied Game. It was his 4th Made FG from 50+ Yards out on the year. (Will Lutz previously held the Rookie Record with 3 Made 50+ Yarders in 2016) Grupe has since extended his Rookie Record to 6 Made 50+ Yarders. He has one more game to extend his record.
Grupe now has 6 Made FGs of 50+ Yards Out which is a Saints All-Time Single Season Franchise Record. (Will Lutz Made 4 FGs of 50+ Yards out in a Single Season twice, in 2017 and 2022.) Grupe has one more game to add to His All-Time Franchise Record numbers.
Blake Grupe was 3 out of 3 in his most recent outing against the Bucs. Perfect! 100%!
Grupe has taken a lot of heat 🥵 for some of his early season misses, especially the 47-yard miss against the Packers that could have won the game after the Saints blew a 17-point 4th quarter lead. His overall accuracy has been criticized at 80%, however, most people who do that don't consider he has been asked to attempt 9 FGs beyond 50 yards out so far in which he has made 66% of them, bringing his overall percentage down.
It seems to me that Fans are Quick to Dismiss Grupe due to His Small Size and Teenage Appearance.
He's Been Fan Bullied.
A lot of folks here are Guilty of it. There's been "Cut Grupe" threads. Even 🦌 Head Coach Dennis Allen brought in kickers for tryouts the week after Grupe Made 5 of 6 FGs against Atlanta, only missing a desperation 54-yard attempt that he was rushed out onto the field late at the end of the game. Of all things, veteran kicker Mason Crosby was one of the tryout kickers D.A. brought in. Crosby missed a 54-yard attempt at the end of the Giants/Rams game yesterday while kicking for the Giants. Had he made that kick, it would have drastically improved the Saints playoff chances as the Rams play at S.F. next week. Closing the year out with 2 straight losses the Rams probably don't make the playoffs. Instead, the Crosby miss cemented the Rams position as a wildcard playoff team.
How can Grupe make it stop and demand the respect he deserves?
Solutions:
1. Continue to quiet the haters by making kicks. (Obvious)
2. Put a Large Sock in his Jock every day, including Gameday.
3. Wear a Fake Handlebar Mustache on Gameday.
4. Get a Bullnose Ring (ala AK41).
5. Wear a few fake Tear Drop Tattoos under his Eyes on Gameday.
That's all I got. Anybody else got some suggestions on how this young man can get some
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