Bills Central

Is different holder part of Buffalo Bills' Tyler Bass problem?

Buffalo Bills' kicker Tyler Bass signed a $20 million extension in 2023, and his accuracy has dipped since.

Ralph Ventre

Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass (2) missed what would have been a game tying field goal. The Bills lost Ito the Chiefs in the visional round 27-24.
Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass (2) missed what would have been a game tying field goal. The Bills lost Ito the Chiefs in the visional round 27-24. / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Buffalo Bills' 2023 season ended when a game-tying field goal attempt bended wide right against the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

It was a disappointing final act in what was a lackluster campaign for Tyler Bass, who boasted an 87+ percent accuracy rate in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, that number dropped to 82.8 percent, including a 67-percent clip on attempts longer than 40 yards.

It's not time to push the panic button, but there's no denying Bass's accuracy has dropped off since the start of the 2023 season and his trouble have reportedly been evident during open training camp practices. Multiple accounts have highlighted the kicker's inconsistencies this summer with this past Wednesday's performance leading to increased concern as the preseason winds down.

According to Batavia Daily News reporter Alex Brasky, Bass went 4-of-7 on field goal attempts with his misses coming from 40, 42 and 47 yards. On Tuesday, Brasky also witnessed a 4-of-7 showing from Bass, who missed from 47, 47 and 37 yards.

Despite the training camp struggles, Bills' head coach Sean McDermott is backing Bass publicly.

"Confidence, very high in T Bass. What I see right now is he's striking the ball really well," said McDermott. "Some of the kicks that he's been working on he wants back, I'm sure. Overall, I'm hoping he gets some good kicks and he continues with getting back to form."

While the Bills have yet to outwardly acknowledge the idea, there may be a correlation between Bass's drop-off and the loss of punter Matt Haack.

With Haack as the holder in 2021, Bass enjoyed his best season as a pro. He nailed 87.5 percent of field goal attempts and made all 51 extra points.

Since Sam Martin replaced Haack on Buffalo's roster, Bass has looked like a different kicker at times. Interestingly, the Bills brought Haack back this past offseason and he spent time holding during OTAs before being released in June.

The Bills started training camp with two punters as undrafted free agent Jake Browning came in to compete with Martin. Browning became a victim of the roster numbers game and was released on August 1. Although potentially coincidental, it seems as if Bass's accuracy has only decreased since that point in training camp.

The situation can go in a number of different directions moving forward.

In the best case scenario, it's just a temporary hiccup and Bass returns to the form that landed him a $20 million contract extension.

There's also the troubling possibility that Bass's confidence is in the tank and a case of the yips is emerging.

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Or it could all be the result of subpar holding, which seems to make the most sense after connecting the dots.

In summation, the Bills have a minor Bass problem, and here's to hoping it doesn't lead to another season-ending loss.

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Ralph Ventre
RALPH VENTRE