Eli5 “why is it that kickers can make kickoffs from the opponents 25 yd line but miss a 40 yd kick field goal on their own end zone”
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The field goal MUST go between the uprights. The kickoff can go just about anywhere and be good.
It takes more leg strength to kick the ball 110 yards and it requires greater accuracy. A 110 yard field goal is much more leg strength than any NFL kicker has ever demonstrated being close to and it doesn’t seem likely that will change any time soon. Even with the best PEDs it’s not possible.
The defense.
A field goal has to be kicked at a pretty high upward angle to make it over the outstretched hands of the defenders trying to block it, so much of its energy is lost going upward rather than forward. A kickoff, by contrast, is launched at a much lower angle.
Also, on a field goal, the kicker has a very short amount of time to run up and kick the ball. If he takes too long, it gets blocked. So he only has enough time for one or two steps of run-up. On a kickoff, he can get a ten-yard running start to add more force to the kick.
The tee. The distance of the run-up. The fact that 11 dudes aren’t running at him trying to block it.
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