The Colts have had all eight of their games decided by a touchdown or less. They are 5-3.
If Adam Vinatieri had made his kicks in two of the games, though, the Colts would have a 7-1 record.
In a season-opening overtime loss to the Chargers, he missed a 46-yarder wide left, a 29-yarder wide left and an extra point wide right. On Sunday, Vinatieri missed a 43-yarder wide left with 1:11 left in a 26-24 loss to the Steelers.
“Still have all the confidence in the world in Adam,” Colts coach Frank Reich said Sunday, via Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com.
Vinatieri won AFC special teams player of the week last week after making a 51-yard field goal with 22 seconds left against Denver. His kick Sunday never had a chance.
Holder Rigoberto Sanchez never got the laces turned out and blamed himself. Vinatieri admitted he saw the laces were turned in but blamed himself.
“Listen, I gotta make them all,” Vinatieri said. “That’s just part of the deal. It doesn’t matter. You gotta make everything.”
Vinatieri also had an extra point blocked by Cameron Heyward on Sunday.
He has missed 10 kicks this season, including a league-leading five extra points. Vinatieri is making only 70.6 percent of his field goal attempts, a career-low, and 73.7 percent of his extra points, also a career low.
There are calls in Indianapolis for the Colts to replace Vinatieri before it’s too late. The Colts, as of tonight, aren’t listening.