Vikings kicking woes, 2013-present: An examination

There was a time, if you can believe it, that the Vikings enjoyed above-average, drama-free placekicking. Ryan Longwell started that path in 2006, when the Vikings signed him away from Green Bay. He kicked for six years in Minnesota and made 86 percent of his field goals during that time.

Blair Walsh replaced him in 2012, and he was even better for that first year. Walsh made 35 of 38 field goals as a rookie, including an incredible 10 of 10 from 50 yards or more. It looked like the Vikings were set for another decade at least.

Narrator: This was not the case.

Walsh was decent in 2013, bad in 2014 and shaky in 2015 before missing the 27-yarder in the playoffs from which he never really…