The Indianapolis Colts may have a decision to make about the kicker position as the team enters the final stretch of the season.
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off their biggest win of the season, defeating the New England Patriots 27-17 in an exciting game. The win gave Indianapolis a better chance at making the postseason and solidifies that it is one of the best teams in the NFL.
As great as this huge win was, Saturday’s game still highlighted some questions that the Colts will want to address before the start of the postseason. One of those questions is the kicking game.
When Rodrigo Blankenship, Indy’s kicker at the start of the season, went down with an injury in Week 5, the team signed Michael Badgley. Badgley had struggled in the past but the Colts were willing to give him a chance out of necessity.
That gamble turned into something great for Badgley and Indianapolis as Badgley made all of his extra points and his first 11 field goals.
#Colts kicker Michael Badgley on his lights-out kicking in Indy: “I just saw it as an opportunity. They don’t come too often. Just have gone one kick at a time.”
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) December 1, 2021
And yes, he did have ‘Money Badger’ trademarked. @WISH_TV pic.twitter.com/jbqis3KhUw
Since that point, things have started getting a little rocky for Badgley. In a Week 13 game against the Houston Texans, Badgley missed his first field goal. In the matchup against the Patriots, Badgley missed one field goal officially, and another that he got to re-kick because a New England defender was offsides.
The misses in consecutive games have to force Indianapolis to consider if it’s time to bring back Blankenship.
Colts must consider Rodrigo Blankenship over Michael Badgley
Once Blankenship got healthy, head coach Frank Reich said he couldn’t just insert him as the starter because Badgley had earned the right to remain there. When Badgley missed his first field goal in Houston, Reich stuck by him and said he wouldn’t overreact.
Now, with Badgley missing two kicks in two games, almost three, it’s only fair to believe Reich is at least thinking about a possible move. However, Reich has said that he isn’t considering a move and is sticking with Badgley.
Sounds like Colts will stick with kicker Michael Badgley, at least for this week.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 19, 2021
Parris Campbell is nearing a return to practice, but likely won't happen this week. Initial hope within the team was that he could return for the Christmas game in AZ, but unlikely now.
Reich has done a lot of things right all season, so fans should trust him, but this decision on who’s the kicker could be a big one. The Colts are in a tight playoff race and every little detail counts.
Even once Indianapolis secures a playoff spot, having the right person at kicker can make all the difference. Badgley has been good for the majority of the season, but his current trend isn’t promising.
Reich can’t be faulted for giving Badgley another opportunity, but he has to be sure that it’s the right move for Indy’s chances of winning. Best to get the decision correct now before it’s too late.
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