Congratulations Are In Order For Saints Rookie Kicker Blake Grupe (2 Viewers)

[m318]

We need to get real kicker. He cost us the playoffs.

Amazing how some fans can look at this coaching staff and think "Playoffs". We will get blown out by any semi-competent team.

 

[syracuse saint]

I think that it would be a mistake to get rid of him at this point. He was good and will be a very good kicker some day.

I think that if he does a great dance to "it's tricky" by run dmc after a game winner, then slept with a BBW with really really big cheetah panties, then that would command much respect. Road trip movie reference.

 

[Green-Ghost]

Congratulations, Atta Boy, And Hats Off Are All In Order For Saints Kicker Blake Grupe!

Blake Grupe Set the Saints All-Time Franchise Rookie Record For Most FGs Made in a Single Game in Week 12 against Atlanta when he Made 5 FGs. The 5 FGs Made in a Single Game also Tied Grupe for the Saints All-Time Franchise Record with Morten Andersen, Jon Carney, and Charlie Durkee.

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

R
E
S
P
E
C
T
?

Wow, I did not notice. I totally agree, congratulations.

 

[Day1]

Respect? Kick 7 extra points against Atlanta next week.

 

[Artifactual]

By my count, Grupe's 80% made field goals is 24th in the league among kickers with 25 kicks or more. I'm pretty sure the more difficult situations you mentioned for Grupe are also factored into the other kickers percentages as well. Will Lutz is ranked 13th with 88.2%.

Grupe made a lot of field goals because we kicked a lot of field goals because our offense is bad, especially in the red zone. He also missed a lot of FGs. Like when a linebacker or a safety on a bad defense has a ton of tackles because the team can't stop the run before it gets to them. Or a QB with 350 yards passing in a blowout loss because they are trying to play catchup all game.

Also, referring to people with realistic criticism as "haters" always sounds so childish. When it comes to overall FG percentage, we cut a long time incumbent that was slightly above average for a new kicker that is ranked near the bottom. Criticism in that regard is definitely valid.

GTF out of here with that garbage. Take it to the "Cut Grupe " thread if you must.

This is an "Appreciation" thread. If you can't simply say Congrats but instead come here to bash it shows you are just that, "A Hater", and a "Fan Bully". Talk about being Childish. SMH!

You must be a true inspiration to those that get to be around you in real life daily. You just can't get over Lutz, who had several good years here with the Saints, but also was below average his last year here after missing the entire prior year. Let it go already. If you can't, bump a Lutz thread and go there to slobber all over it. And when you post a reply, try to get your facts straight.

Grupe was such a great value as an UDFA Rookie on the league minimum salary that it not only allowed the Saints to dump Lutz salary, but it afforded the team to TRADE Lutz and acquire a 7th Round Draft Choice in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. That's Lagniappe! Bust, HOFer, or a Player in Between, Let's see what that draft pick yields for the Saints in the long run. Something for nothing is always better than nothing for something.

For the Record, I have nothing against Lutz, and I appreciate what he did in his first five years here. If you read my original post, you will find I mention him multiple times with plenty of accolades. However, he missed all of 2021 injured and was no help to the team. Upon his return in 2022 he went from being known as "Big Nutz Lutz" to "Big Klutz Lutz". He had the Worst Percentage in the Entire League for Accuracy of kickers that attempted 31 FGs or more, while carrying a hefty salary. You guys gotta let go. Lutz is like the Ex that ain't coming back no matter How Much You Cry. As Benny Grunch said: Ain't Dere No More!

Lutz rookie year his percentage was 82.4%. A whole 2.4% better than Grupe’s 80%. In 2020 Lutz was at 82.1%. Last year he was 74.2%. Yes he is kicking better this year in Denver but he’s been near the bottom of the league since 2020. Grupe is having a solid year for a rookie kicker.

Your speaking to a closed-minded group here when stating Facts. Keep bringing it to em' anyway. Some folks just can't accept the truth.

It's Easier To SEE With Closed Eyes Than It Is To SEE With A Closed Mind. ~ Artifactual 09/29/23

We need to get real kicker. He cost us the playoffs.

Another "Hater". You must mean a Real Kicker like Lutz also. Isn't he the one that "Cost The Broncos The Playoffs " when he missed a FG and an Extra Point in a One-Point Loss earlier this year? Isn't he the same real kicker who missed a FG yesterday? Isn't he the same real kicker who has only made 80% (3/5) of his FG attempts in his last 2 games? Isn't he the same real kicker that has missed 2 Extra Points so far this year? That's Keeping It Real For Sure!

Voices of Reason are Often Out of Season to Voices of Dissent Who Are Hell-Bent to Vent. ~ Artifactual 10/21/23

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, we're on a Saints Fan Forum website that has about 28,000 registered members according to the homepage membership information. As Saints Fans, MOST of us come here to support our team, engage in conversation about the team whether we agree with each other or not, and hopefully learn something from one another. Here we have a thread to give a Thumbs Up Comment of Congratulations to a Player that just SET TEAM RECORDS one day ago and yet very few can muster up the decency to give the young man some simple props. Only 17 reply post and of those Only 4 give Congratulations to our Rookie Record Setter. And then there are those that ignore that it's an appreciation thread that asks what the player can do to earn some respect and ya'll come here to bash him. Really? Pretty Ironic! More Like Unbelievable!

As Saints Fans We Should Be Ashamed Of This Behavior. I Know We Can Do Better With Just A Little Effort!.

I'm calling on all Tru Saints Fans that Love their Team to come here and celebrate the accomplishments of a player that is setting team records. If you can't do that, then why are you here? Leave a reply post as simple as Congratulations, Atta Boy, or Hats Off To Grupe!

And as a bonus, leave a suggestion in the form of Humor on how Grupe can earn some RESPECT!

I'll add those to my original post.

Thanks to all that have already done so.

 

[mither_rome]

I gotta say, defending Grupe's fairly pedestrian rookie campaign, which, quite frankly, has been relatively free of pressure kicks outside of GB (which he missed), by using longwinded prose and multicolor fonts, is peak 2023 Saints.

But if you're digging deeper in the stat sheet for meaning, and simply want to excise mentions of Lutz, cool - but the comparison isn't even necessary to acknowledge that Grupe's "record setting" pace is more an indication of the Saints red zone troubles for most of the season than his prowess as a kicker.

Also - the "no true scotsman" fallacy is working so hard here, this thread is buzzing like a nuclear reactor.

But hey, I like to build a kid's confidence, so in the spirit of this thread, and the new year:

NICE GOING GRUPE!

 

[Chris]

GTF out of here with that garbage. Take it to the "Cut Grupe " thread if you must.

This is an "Appreciation" thread. If you can't simply say Congrats but instead come here to bash it shows you are just that, "A Hater", and a "Fan Bully". Talk about being Childish. SMH!

You must be a true inspiration to those that get to be around you in real life daily. You just can't get over Lutz, who had several good years here with the Saints, but also was below average his last year here after missing the entire prior year. Let it go already. If you can't, bump a Lutz thread and go there to slobber all over it. And when you post a reply, try to get your facts straight.

Grupe was such a great value as an UDFA Rookie on the league minimum salary that it not only allowed the Saints to dump Lutz salary, but it afforded the team to TRADE Lutz and acquire a 7th Round Draft Choice in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. That's Lagniappe! Bust, HOFer, or a Player in Between, Let's see what that draft pick yields for the Saints in the long run. Something for nothing is always better than nothing for something.

For the Record, I have nothing against Lutz, and I appreciate what he did in his first five years here. If you read my original post, you will find I mention him multiple times with plenty of accolades. However, he missed all of 2021 injured and was no help to the team. Upon his return in 2022 he went from being known as "Big Nutz Lutz" to "Big Klutz Lutz". He had the Worst Percentage in the Entire League for Accuracy of kickers that attempted 31 FGs or more, while carrying a hefty salary. You guys gotta let go. Lutz is like the Ex that ain't coming back no matter How Much You Cry. As Benny Grunch said: Ain't Dere No More!


Your speaking to a closed-minded group here when stating Facts. Keep bringing it to em' anyway. Some folks just can't accept the truth.

It's Easier To SEE With Closed Eyes Than It Is To SEE With A Closed Mind. ~ Artifactual 09/29/23



Another "Hater". You must mean a Real Kicker like Lutz also. Isn't he the one that "Cost The Broncos The Playoffs " when he missed a FG and an Extra Point in a One-Point Loss earlier this year? Isn't he the same real kicker who missed a FG yesterday? Isn't he the same real kicker who has only made 80% (3/5) of his FG attempts in his last 2 games? Isn't he the same real kicker that has missed 2 Extra Points so far this year? That's Keeping It Real For Sure!

Voices of Reason are Often Out of Season to Voices of Dissent Who Are Hell-Bent to Vent. ~ Artifactual 10/21/23

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, we're on a Saints Fan Forum website that has about 28,000 registered members according to the homepage membership information. As Saints Fans, MOST of us come here to support our team, engage in conversation about the team whether we agree with each other or not, and hopefully learn something from one another. Here we have a thread to give a Thumbs Up Comment of Congratulations to a Player that just SET TEAM RECORDS one day ago and yet very few can muster up the decency to give the young man some simple props. Only 17 reply post and of those Only 4 give Congratulations to our Rookie Record Setter. And then there are those that ignore that it's an appreciation thread that asks what the player can do to earn some respect and ya'll come here to bash him. Really? Pretty Ironic! More Like Unbelievable!

As Saints Fans We Should Be Ashamed Of This Behavior. I Know We Can Do Better With Just A Little Effort!.

I'm calling on all Tru Saints Fans that Love their Team to come here and celebrate the accomplishments of a player that is setting team records. If you can't do that, then why are you here? Leave a reply post as simple as Congratulations, Atta Boy, or Hats Off To Grupe!

And as a bonus, leave a suggestion in the form of Humor on how Grupe can earn some RESPECT!

I'll add those to my original post.

Thanks to all that have already done so.

You say this is an "appreciation" thread, but all you are doing is regurgitating a bunch of stats and passive-aggressively telling us that we are "haters" and not "Tru Saints Fans" if we have a difference of opinion. You could have spared us all the wall of text and gave Grupe his props for the Tampa Bay game, but no. You had to turn this post into a preachy, condescending, one-sided debate on a public fan forum, and then get upset when others disagree with your rhetoric. From one Tru Saints Fan to another, get over yourself...

 

[Artifactual]

I gotta say, defending Grupe's fairly pedestrian rookie campaign, which, quite frankly, has been relatively free of pressure kicks outside of GB (which he missed), by using longwinded prose and multicolor fonts, is peak 2023 Saints.

I'm not here defending anything. On the contrary, his rookie campaign has been anything but pedestrian unless you want to dismiss the number of records he has already set. And BTW, every kick is a pressure kick. Kickers are judged by the entirety of their record. There are no mulligans.

But if you're digging deeper in the stat sheet for meaning, and simply want to excise mentions of Lutz, cool - but the comparison isn't even necessary

It was necessary to state the facts and set the record straight. That's why the names Andersen, Carney, and Durkee are cited.

to acknowledge that Grupe's "record setting" pace is more an indication of the Saints red zone troubles for most of the season than his prowess as a kicker.

The Kicker doesn't choose when he gets to kick. And that cuts both ways. Had the Saints Offense been caple of moving the ball within FG range more often he would have had more opportunities than he did. He didn't get a single opportunity against the Lions or the Rams in recent games. Red Zone efficiency or not.

Also - the "no true scotsman" fallacy is working so hard here, this thread is buzzing like a nuclear reactor.

It's showing a lot of true colors, that for sure.

But hey, I like to build a kid's confidence, so in the spirit of this thread, and the new year:

NICE GOING GRUPE!

Thanks for the reply, in jest, but an Atta Boy none the less.
And yes, that was a nice gesture on your behalf. In the spirit of the 1st day of the New Year, we can all try a little bit harder to share some kindness.

 

[Loco Hornet Fan]

I gotta say, defending Grupe's fairly pedestrian rookie campaign, which, quite frankly, has been relatively free of pressure kicks outside of GB (which he missed), by using longwinded prose and multicolor fonts, is peak 2023 Saints.

But if you're digging deeper in the stat sheet for meaning, and simply want to excise mentions of Lutz, cool - but the comparison isn't even necessary to acknowledge that Grupe's "record setting" pace is more an indication of the Saints red zone troubles for most of the season than his prowess as a kicker.

Also - the "no true scotsman" fallacy is working so hard here, this thread is buzzing like a nuclear reactor.

But hey, I like to build a kid's confidence, so in the spirit of this thread, and the new year:

NICE GOING GRUPE!

I don’t know, I think he has been solid for a rookie kicker, especially one who was relied on to be our main source of points for a bunch of games.

I don’t know if he will prove to be “the guy” going forward but I don’t think an atta boy thread is crazy.

And ranking in the top 7 kickers on 40-49 yarders and 13th on 50+ yard kicks seems encouraging for his age/experience level.

I agree with you that it is too earlier to throw parades for him or something, but I think he’s held his own under the circumstances. I don’t agree with anyone who blames him for us not being in the playoffs.

 

[stadanko]

GTF out of here with that garbage. Take it to the "Cut Grupe " thread if you must.

This is an "Appreciation" thread. If you can't simply say Congrats but instead come here to bash it shows you are just that, "A Hater", and a "Fan Bully". Talk about being Childish. SMH!

You must be a true inspiration to those that get to be around you in real life daily. You just can't get over Lutz, who had several good years here with the Saints, but also was below average his last year here after missing the entire prior year. Let it go already. If you can't, bump a Lutz thread and go there to slobber all over it. And when you post a reply, try to get your facts straight.

Grupe was such a great value as an UDFA Rookie on the league minimum salary that it not only allowed the Saints to dump Lutz salary, but it afforded the team to TRADE Lutz and acquire a 7th Round Draft Choice in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. That's Lagniappe! Bust, HOFer, or a Player in Between, Let's see what that draft pick yields for the Saints in the long run. Something for nothing is always better than nothing for something.

For the Record, I have nothing against Lutz, and I appreciate what he did in his first five years here. If you read my original post, you will find I mention him multiple times with plenty of accolades. However, he missed all of 2021 injured and was no help to the team. Upon his return in 2022 he went from being known as "Big Nutz Lutz" to "Big Klutz Lutz". He had the Worst Percentage in the Entire League for Accuracy of kickers that attempted 31 FGs or more, while carrying a hefty salary. You guys gotta let go. Lutz is like the Ex that ain't coming back no matter How Much You Cry. As Benny Grunch said: Ain't Dere No More!


Your speaking to a closed-minded group here when stating Facts. Keep bringing it to em' anyway. Some folks just can't accept the truth.

It's Easier To SEE With Closed Eyes Than It Is To SEE With A Closed Mind. ~ Artifactual 09/29/23



Another "Hater". You must mean a Real Kicker like Lutz also. Isn't he the one that "Cost The Broncos The Playoffs " when he missed a FG and an Extra Point in a One-Point Loss earlier this year? Isn't he the same real kicker who missed a FG yesterday? Isn't he the same real kicker who has only made 80% (3/5) of his FG attempts in his last 2 games? Isn't he the same real kicker that has missed 2 Extra Points so far this year? That's Keeping It Real For Sure!

Voices of Reason are Often Out of Season to Voices of Dissent Who Are Hell-Bent to Vent. ~ Artifactual 10/21/23

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, we're on a Saints Fan Forum website that has about 28,000 registered members according to the homepage membership information. As Saints Fans, MOST of us come here to support our team, engage in conversation about the team whether we agree with each other or not, and hopefully learn something from one another. Here we have a thread to give a Thumbs Up Comment of Congratulations to a Player that just SET TEAM RECORDS one day ago and yet very few can muster up the decency to give the young man some simple props. Only 17 reply post and of those Only 4 give Congratulations to our Rookie Record Setter. And then there are those that ignore that it's an appreciation thread that asks what the player can do to earn some respect and ya'll come here to bash him. Really? Pretty Ironic! More Like Unbelievable!

As Saints Fans We Should Be Ashamed Of This Behavior. I Know We Can Do Better With Just A Little Effort!.

I'm calling on all Tru Saints Fans that Love their Team to come here and celebrate the accomplishments of a player that is setting team records. If you can't do that, then why are you here? Leave a reply post as simple as Congratulations, Atta Boy, or Hats Off To Grupe!

And as a bonus, leave a suggestion in the form of Humor on how Grupe can earn some RESPECT!

I'll add those to my original post.

Thanks to all that have already done so.

K

 

[Artifactual]

You say this is an "appreciation" thread, but all you are doing is regurgitating a bunch of stats and passive-aggressively telling us that we are "haters" and not "Tru Saints Fans" if we have a difference of opinion. You could have spared us all the wall of text and gave Grupe his props for the Tampa Bay game, but no. You had to turn this post into a preachy, condescending, one-sided debate on a public fan forum, and then get upset when others disagree with your rhetoric. From one Tru Saints Fan to another, get over yourself...

I see you've come here to get your biatching on. You didn't have to read past the 1st sentence of my original post if it wasn't of interest to you. You most likely didn't read it at all. You must not have been listening when your mom told you that if you couldn't say something nice don't say anything at all. Oh well.

Show me where the original post is full of regurgitated stats. He just Set 2 and Tied 2 of those records yesterday.

Did I mention something that had been shared in a past thread like Grupe was named Special Teams Player Of The Week after Making 2 FGs of 50+ Yards during the same game which hadn't been done in the NFL in almost 20 years, or by a Saints kicker since 1995 when Morten Andersen did it? No, I didn't! SMH!

Come to think of it, that also is a Saints All-Time Rookie Franchise Record For Grupe. I'll edit and add that to my original post and give you cred for it.

My original post has nothing in the way of "preachy, condescending, or debating " in it. How could there be when it was an OP? I referenced the "Haters" and "Fan Bullies" from past Grupe threads. Go look them up if you don't believe they exist. They're like aliens, they're real. I have replied to other posts in this thread, but in your case, there's been no prior back and forth. You're coming at me from left field as if I attacked you for some opinion you personally stated.


Who is US? You must identify as a "Hater" or a "Fan Bully" to take the position to argue for no reason. If you have a difference in opinion, state it. Otherwise, if you want to argue over any of the Facts that I stated in my OP your just here to spew hot air. They're not disputable.

To be clear I'm not upset. My feelings are not hurt. However, I have let it be known that I think it's disappointing that members here can't give a simple tip of the cap to a Rookie Tying, Breaking, and Setting Saints and NFL Records. This from arguably the most visited Saints Fan Forum with a vast number of daily posters.

In closing my response to your reply, I'm going to take it from the tone of your ire that you didn't come here to show any Grupe Appreciation.

Just Sad!

And just like that, I've gotten over myself. You try doing the same.

Happy New Year Chris!

 

[Taker597]

I think Grupe made a good but not great rookie season that laid a good foundation for his career. Really happy for him.

Hedley has been horrific for most of the season and he will most certainly get replaced. A punter that's only good at mid field is good for college not NFL. He occasionally can pull off a deep punt, but it's just so unreliable.

 

[saintfan1972]

Morten Andersen rookie stats. 74%. Only attempted 24 kicks.
Just saying!! I've defended Grupe and Hedley all year til I'm blue in the fingers. Good luck OP.

 

[tinman]

They were both more than serviceable, but...
I hope Grupe goes through puberty before next seasoon!LOL

 

[dutar76]

Kickers often get taken for granted unless they kick a game winner. Most often, they're remembered for their misses, especially game losing misses.

Groupe did well for a rookie, nothing earth shattering, but he did good. He had the deck sort of stacked against him from the start as far as fans go. He was chosen over a well loved long time saint who had recently been oft injured and under-performing. The fan base was divided over the decision. Then the beloved long time kicker goes on to have a really good season, playing for our longtime and loved head coach's new team.

Im pulling for him even though I hated losing Lutz. Im more upset that we could and should still have Morestead punting for us. Him and Lutz always made me feel like our kicking game was a strength, even when it struggled. Such is life for a fan of a pro sports team.