Should Oakland Raiders Worry About Sebastian Janikowski's Struggles?

Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski's recent struggles have placed him in the crosshairs of the firing squad.

He deserves criticism for his miscues, but there’s premature buzz about his career headed straight for the toilet bowl.

When discussing Janikowski's latest mishaps, short-term memory comes into play among fans. This season, he’s logging a 76 percent field-goal percentage, and some spectators contributed to an uproar over his last misfire on Sunday.

"

sebastian janikowski is not going to be a raider next season. Complete TRASH

— Haley ♛ (@Hales6ix) December 14, 2015"

On the contrary, Janikowski’s struggles have plagued him his entire career.

Janikowski Being Janikowski

Year	Field Goals Attempted	Field Goals Made	Field Goal Percentages
2000	32	22	68.8
2001	28	23	82.1
2002	33	26	78.8
2003	25	22	88
2004	28	25	89.3
2005	30	20	66.7
2006	25	18	72
2007	32	23	71.9
2008	30	24	80
2009	29	26	89.7
2010	41	33	80.5
2011	35	31	88.6
2012	34	31	91.2
2013	30	21	70
2014	22	19	86.4
2015	21	16	76.2
Career	475	380	80

As the table above illustrates, Janikowski failed to convert at least 80 percent of field-goal attempts in several seasons. He experienced a horrific stretch between the 2005-07 seasons, yet he survived to earn a four-year extension in 2010.

The man with the iron leg always had range but never exhibited pinpoint accuracy.

Janikowski isn’t losing his touch. This is who he’s always been throughout his career.

The rise in young talent around an older Janikowski (37 years old) leaves him behind, which causes most to say, “He’s losing his touch.” In reality, Janikowski’s current percentages aren’t significantly worse than his career numbers.

Inconsistent, Not Declining 

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

As a 16-year veteran, Janikowski continues to toe the line of inconsistency. Many will point to his age as a reason for his supposed decline, but it’s not exactly a downward slope—it closely resembles peaks and valleys.

In 2013, he converted only 70 percent of his field-goal attempts. At 35, you’d assume that’s a sign of decline. Nonetheless, he successfully converted 86 percent of his field-goal attempts in 2014.

This season could indeed become the latest fall, but will he rise again?

Keep in mind, a healthy kicker can maintain optimal performance far longer than an average skill-position player.

Where’s Janikowski’s Potential Replacement?

In today’s society, we want instant gratitude, immediate results with perfect circumstances. If a kicker struggles, we want an immediate substitute without considering a solid replacement.

Accurate kickers aren’t pouring into the NFL at record numbers. Giorgio Tavecchio made a brief appearance as a backup kicker in the preseason. He produced a 75 percent career field-goal percentage over four years at California. He logged field-goal percentages below 70 percent in three of those four seasons.

According to CBSSports.com, two draft-eligible kickers are projected as top-tier talents, which suggests the Raiders would have to use a higher draft pick to secure either prospect.

Of course, teams with direr situations at kicker would likely swipe those prospects in earlier rounds, considering the premium on place-kickers with the new rules regarding extra-point attempts.

General manager Reggie McKenzie seems to prefer building through the draft. The Raiders will likely reserve higher draft picks to address holes on defense and a complementary position at running back.

What’s the alternative?

McKenzie would sign a free-agent kicker, who probably lost his first job due to kicking inconsistencies. If the Raiders move on from Janikowski, the replacement shouldn’t present the same problem as the incumbent.

Why Raiders Won’t Punt on Janikowski 

McKenzie knew what he paid for when offering Janikowski a four-year extension in 2013, per CSNCalifornia.com's Scott Bair:

The extension would essentially serve as Janikowski’s final deal to end his career as a Raider. The front office won’t sever ties with the all-time leader in games played in silver and black without clear evidence of his deterioration.

This season, only seven current starting kickers have converted on all extra points. Despite missing one extra-point attempt, Janikowski still ranks No. 6 in successful point-after attempts (33-for-34).

Player	Team	Extra Points Made	Extra-Point Attempts
Stephen Gostkowski	NE	46	46
Graham Gano	CAR	45	48
Chandler Catanzaro	ARI	44	47
Mike Nugent	CIN	40	41
Josh Brown	NYG	34	35

In 2015, Janikowski has misfired and shown inconsistencies, but history says he may rebound with another solid season.

It’s premature to label this situation as a temporary slump or an actual decline for the remainder of his career. He’s been able to improve after poor seasons, which led to his latest extension.

Every point counts as the Raiders sit on the brink of relevancy. If you’ve always wanted to boot Janikowski for his inconsistencies, it’s time to worry.

However, three contract extensions and a career 80 percent conversion rate on field goals suggests he’ll remain a Raider, barring catastrophe.

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All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings unless otherwise noted.