The Colts plan to stick with Michael Badgley despite two missed kicks versus Patriots
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts aren't making any changes to their kicking game. Yet.
The cracks in Michael Badgley's once-perfect game showed up again in the Colts' 27-17 victory over the New England Patriots on Saturday night. He missed two field goals, from 46 and 49 yards, though an offsides penalty on the 46-yarder allowed him to redo it from 41 and he made that kick.
He is now 13 of 15 from field goals this season, but including the redo, he's missed three kicks in the previous two games. With Rodrigo Blankenship waiting on injured reserve, the Colts have an option to pivot to if they lose faith.
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But they're not there right now.
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"Like any other position, it's a week-to-week league, but I'm not anticipating any changes at this point," Colts coach Frank Reich said.
Badgley was thought to be a fill-in when the Colts signed him off the street in the middle of the season to fill in for Blankenship, who suffered a hip injury. Badgley spent the previous three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he started strong and then faded to the level of nine missed field goals last season.
But he's been so consistent for much of his time in Indianapolis that Reich decided to keep going to him. Blankenship has missed some field goals in big moments, and Badgley seemed to represent consistency.
Badgley's career has shown that distance is everything. He is 39 of 40 from less than 40 yards out, compared to 26 of 41 from 40 yards or longer.
Reich has shown a willingness to go for fourth-and-short plays. His team converted all three attempts Saturday. That could allow them to get the most out of Badgley's skill set, though it is also accepting a smaller role for the kicker as a result.
The Colts are 8-6 and are pushing for the playoffs with three games to go, so the kicks are only going to get bigger from here on out.
Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.
Since 2018, worst kickers on 46+-yard field goals (minimum 7 attempts):
1. Michael Badgley, 7-19, 36.8%
2. Rodrigo Blakenship, 3-8, 37.5%
3. Sam Ficken, 6-16, 37.5— Nat Newell (@NatJNewell) December 19, 2021
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts plan to stick with Michael Badgley despite two missed kicks
