During the Bill Belichick era, the New England Patriots capitalized on any on-field advantage they could find. In one of those cases, the team could have turned to the services of the scoreboard operator. Ryan Paganetti, who worked for multiple NFLs on the analytics and research side, discovered that the Patriots were showing the goalposts on the video screen at Gillette Stadium when opposing kickers lined up to score field goals. That would create a difficult picture for kickers as they set up their goal. Maybe there’s something to this. Kicking is hard enough under perfect circumstances. Interrupting an opposing kicker in a subtle and perhaps subconscious way could have a tangible impact on his success rate. And the Patriots have seemingly benefited from big special teams moments over the years. The supposed cunning means nothing either. Fall and winter weather in New England is often not as hospitable, so kickers will face cold and/or windy conditions. Teams may already be aware of this. Given how meticulous coaches prepare, surely someone within the league noticed the Patriots’ ploy, thus mitigating the effects. But it’s a smart tactic anyway.
