Opinion Poll Of Jets from Yester-years: Pat Leahy..

I liked him... except for a chip shot miss in Chicago he was solid for us

 

Above average for us...very well liked.

 

I like him. Long time Jet, pretty reliable. Plus I met him in a bar once.

 

Nice guy, above average kicker, who actually benefited from the Jets move from Shea to the Meadowlands. Leahy had been in the league for 10 years prior to the move and had never kicked a 50 yard FG. The Jets first game in the Meadowlands, Leahy delivered a 52 yarder...

Highlights:

Won over a dozen games with last minute or OT FG's..

Did not miss a XP from December 1985- until December 1989..

Seemed to get better with age until his final season..

Lowlights:

Missed a GW FG against NE in 1978 which would have moved the Jets into first place and may have helped dispel the negative same old Jets theory early in Walt Michael's tenure....

Had a horrible slump in 1982 which included missing an XP and a chip shot FG at Miami in a one point loss. Had the Jets won the game they would have finished with a higher seeding than Miami and never would have played in the 'mud bowl'..

Missed the infamous chip shot at Chicago on MNF in 1991. Leahy doesn't get all the blame for this loss, as the game never should have gone to OT to begin with...

Vote: Favorable

 

I reluctantly voted favorable. He lasted eons in terms of kickers, but missed some important kicks along the way. I was at the 1978 home game vs New England he missed a potential game winner, 1982 he went into a slump, missed a PAT vs Miami that cost us dearly down the road.

Ironic that he kicked 17 years and came up one week short of one of the biggest kicks in Jets history, Allegre's 1991 finale heroics in Miami.

 

Perfect Pat.

Often the lone Jets pro-bowl representative.

Barely ever missed a kick.

Favorable.

 

I am right down the middle. he was around a long time but was way too inconsistent. He was an average K and was the anti-Vinatieri when it came to clutch kicking.

 

it's hard to tell when people are joking, i'll assume you are serious here. leahy never made a Pro Bowl and overall was around a 70% K.

 

That sounds kind of impressive until you consider he kicked for 18 years and in about 250 games.

 

Then maybe it was all pro cause I could swear my 78 Leahy has the all pro insignia on it.

 

Maybe I was wrong about him.

Code:

         +------------------+------------+
           |   Field Goals    |    PAT     |
+----------+------------------+------------+--------+
| Year  TM | Made ATT    PCT  | Made  ATT  | Points |
+----------+------------------+------------+--------+
| 1980 nyj |  14   22   63.6  |   36   36  |    78  |
| 1981 nyj |  25   36   69.4  |   38   39  |   113  |
| 1982 nyj |  11   17   64.7  |   26   31  |    59  |
| 1983 nyj |  16   24   66.7  |   36   37  |    84  |
| 1984 nyj |  17   24   70.8  |   38   39  |    89  |
| 1985 nyj |  26   34   76.5  |   43   45  |   121  |
| 1986 nyj |  16   19   84.2  |   44   44  |    92  |
| 1987 nyj |  18   22   81.8  |   31   31  |    85  |
| 1988 nyj |  23   28   82.1  |   43   43  |   112  |
| 1989 nyj |  14   21   66.7  |   29   30  |    71  |
| 1990 nyj |  23   26   88.5  |   32   32  |   101  |
| 1991 nyj |  26   37   70.3  |   30   30  |   108  |
+----------+------------------+------------+--------+
|  TOTAL   | 229  310   73.9  |  426  437  |  1113  |

 

You're right.

I tried to sugar-coat it........hmy:

 

I've seen film clips of the 78 NE game with Leahy slamming his helmet down on the field in frustration and one of NE's defenders taunting him...this was also the same day and about the same moment Herman Edwards was running back a famous fumble across the river......

 

I found the card.



All-Pro 1978 topps card

 

I think he was all-pro in 1978. That card is probably 1979 though...

 

I am not sure, maybe that was a Topps all-pro? he was 22 for 30 that year and missed an extra point, I don't think those are all-pro #s and he didn't make the PB. There isn't any mention of it at the jets site, an all-pro selection is something they would mention in the history section but all they say is Wesley Walker made the PB.

 

This site shows Leahy as all-NFL for 78

http://www.hickoksports.com/history/allnfl02.shtml#1971

Scroll down to 1978.

 

You're forgetting one: Two missed kicks in Cleveland in 1986 that would've sent the Jets to the AFC Champ Game in Denver for a chance to play the Giants that year.

I like Leahy, and he was huge in the 82 playoff game in Cincinnati, but there are two many major holes to call him favorable.

I just color him green--he's a typical Jet--just when you think you love him, he gave you reason to want to kill him

 

Pat Leahy was Mr. Consistant Inside of 40 except for all the noted misses.I voted Favorable