Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri had the game on his foot in a blizzard on Sunday and couldn’t get it done. But that snow, and two missed kicks in ridiculous conditions, could cost the kicker more than just a win in a lost season.
Vinatieri missed two field goals on Sunday in a 13-7 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills in one of the snowiest games in recent memory. Visibility was practically nonexistent in the game’s first quarter and New Era Field was covered in snow throughout a miserable day for both teams offensively.
Vinatieri came into the game at 95.6 percent on the season and has a $500,000 bonus written into his contract for making at least 90 percent of his field goals. His missed 33-yarder in the first quarter — woefully wobbling short and wide — made many wonder if anyone would score at all in Sunday’s game, but it also crept him closer to that bonus number.
What was so fascinating about the Bills/Colts game is that kickers had such a different perspective on the game itself. Vinatieri’s 43-yard extra point to tie the game at 7 was remarkable, especially after he had badly biffed his first attempt. The Colts actually called timeout so players could kick away snow from the spot he’d attempt the penalty-aided 43-yard extra point to tie the game, allowing the holder to actually put the ball on the turf and not the inches of packed snow that was atop the FieldTurf.
When the Colts improbably got the ball back after a late Joe Webb interception, Indianapolis actually opted not to run the ball to get closer on a potential game-winning field goal attempt despite nearly having a minute on the clock. It appeared that they didn’t want to have to dig another hole for him to kick from.
I talked to Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka after the game and he actually agreed with the decision, saying getting closer to the goal posts was not the priority for kickers, but getting the ball on the turf and getting good footing for a plant foot. Still, Vinatieri’s second 43-yard kick sailed wide right, the game went to overtime, and LeSean McCoy’s 21-yard touchdown ended it late in the overtime period.
According to ESPN, Vinatieri is now at 88 percent on field goals for the season, so he has some work to do.
Vinatieri will have to go at least 5-of-5 on field goals over the next three games in order to get his percentage back up to 90 percent, which in turn will get him the bonus. He has made at least 90 percent of his field goal attempts five times in 21 NFL seasons heading into 2017.
That’s no guarantee. The good news is won’t have to deal with lake-effect snow in Orchard Park again anytime soon, but the damage may have already been done and his pockets may be a little lighter this offseason because of it.
