Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri missed another extra point on Sunday in a devastating 16-12 loss to the Miami Dolphins, his latest head-scratching outing in what has been a season full of them.
It's clear that Vinatieri is not quite the same guy who developed a reputation as the most clutch kicker in NFL history while winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and a fourth one with the Colts, but head coach Frank Reich has stuck with the veteran.
Now, however, with Indianapolis' season hanging in the balance, Reich hinted at Indy potentially making a change:
“We’d been committed to him, but like everybody … we’re going to always evaluate,” Reich said, according to Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star. “Everyone gets measured, everyone’s held accountable. From top to bottom, that’s always the case. Nothing meant to read into that, that’s just the reality.”
While Reich added that he and general manager Chris Ballard have had “no discussions about that,” it's clear that the Colts may be growing tired of Vinatieri's miscues and understand that it could ultimately cost them a playoff spot.
Of course, Vinatieri was hardly the only reason for Indianapolis' loss to the Dolphins, as Jacoby Brissett was sidelined due to a knee injury.
Still, it doesn't change the fact that Vinatieri has been struggling all year, as the 46-year-old has now missed six extra points on the year and has gone just 14-of-19 on field-goal attempts.
Vinatieri may be a legend, but as the old, tired cliche says, Father Time is undefeated.
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