Vinatieri’s struggles give Irsay trigger for ‘concern’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Indianapolis Colts have a kicking downside the staff mentioned should be addressed instantly.
Veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time main scorer, missed two extra extra-point kicks and nearly turned the rationale the Colts misplaced for the second straight week of their 19-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
“Breaks my coronary heart to see it as a result of I understand how arduous (Vinatieri) works,” Colts proprietor Jim Irsay mentioned outdoors the locker room after the sport. “After all it is a concern. I am unable to misinform you guys. Anybody would let you know it is a concern. Adam, coach (Frank Reich), (normal supervisor) Chris (Ballard), me. Yeah, I imply, on this league, it is skilled soccer. All of us have to supply.
“The expectation is to win if you’re knowledgeable. So we have now to determine the place we’re at there and see what coach and Chris assume is the perfect course. And I do know Adam would be the most self-honest individual of all, so we’ll see the place we’re at.”
Vinatieri has lasted 24 years within the NFL by being dependable. However now he is a weak hyperlink on the roster for the Colts after the 2 missed further factors, that are 33-yard kicks. He has already had the identical variety of missed further factors in two video games — three — that he missed in all of 2018 on 47 makes an attempt.
“I’ve zero concern,” Reich mentioned. “He hit the upright on the one. You guys most likely noticed the primary one. It was not operation. That snap and maintain was not clear, the ball barely received on the bottom. It was not clear.”
Vinatieri took “100 p.c” of the blame after lacking three kicks within the Colts’ Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Vinatieri has now missed an additional level in three straight regular-season video games, going again to final season. That is the longest streak of his NFL profession. He has additionally missed an additional level in 4 of the previous 5 video games general, which incorporates the playoffs, and he is missed a complete of seven kicks previously three video games.
That is a drastic falloff for a kicker who made successful area objectives in Tremendous Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII and nailed kicks in blizzard situations throughout his profession with the New England Patriots.
However time has appeared to meet up with the 46-year-old Vinatieri, who re-signed with the Colts final winter as a result of he thought he might nonetheless be efficient. Vinatieri, a future Corridor of Famer, instantly left the locker room Sunday whereas saying only a few phrases.
“You may hear from me (Monday),” he mentioned.
When reminded that Monday is the gamers’ break day, Vinatieri reiterated, “Yeah, you’ll (hear from me).”
It has been greater than 20 years for the reason that Colts have needed to fear about their kickers. However now could be the time for Ballard to seek out Vinatieri’s substitute.
“It is a man of very robust material, and I do know all our followers, like I, damage with Adam,” Irsay mentioned. “Nobody hurts worse than Adam does.”