The pool of kickers has also exploded and thus the competition for kicking spots is VERY strong now. Here is the 1977 Super Bowl on YT. The Raiders chose a kicker, Fred Steinfort (soccer style), to replace the retiring George Blanda, but he got injured and they got Errol Mann (straight-on) from the Lions.
He attempted 3 field goals, missed 1, but also missed 2 extra points. If you scroll to the kicks in the video (game log for your convenience), every single one looks like a dying duck in flight. He was only 8 for 21 in the regular season (both teams), and 6/9 in the postseason, tho his career % wasn’t too bad for his era (64%). There’s NO WAY a guy that pathetic would even get a phone call or a second look in today’s environment, much less remain as the kicker to the end of the playoffs for a Super Bowl contender like the Raiders.