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INDIANAPOLIS – Adam Vinatieri, regarded as the greatest clutch kicker of all time, expects to be back in the Colts’ lineup soon.
“We haven’t really had any speed bumps, which is good. All of our expectations are to get back soon. I don’t know what that means, but soon as we can,” said Vinatieri, who has missed the last five games after knee surgery. “We’re moving in the right direction. … I’m not putting any timetables on it, but hopefully we’ll be ready to rock and roll soon.”
Sacrilegious as it might sound, it’s unclear whether Vinatieri remains the best person for the job, and this could be the most compelling lineup decision the Colts have to make down the stretch.
If the Colts had brought in a stiff off the street to be Vinatieri’s replacement, this wouldn’t be a discussion. But since his replacement, Matt Stover, is also one of the greatest of all time, and since he’s made all seven of his attempts, it could be an issue.
“No matter who is out there, whether it’s myself or Matt, the team will be in pretty good hands,” Vinatieri said. “If he continues to do well, you never know, hey, why not make it a tough decision?”
That’s true, but the last thing an undefeated, Super Bowl-contending team needs is a distraction, and this could be one.
The Colts have been involved in more close games than any team in the NFL; six games have been decided by four or fewer points. That includes last week’s 17-15 victory over Baltimore, with the difference being a Stover field goal.
“I’ve never been 5-0, much less 10-0, so if you’re asking me how much fun I’m having? This is a blast,” said Stover, whose Colts will take on Houston (5-5) today at Reliant Stadium.
What’s unique about this situation is not just that the Colts have such accomplished kickers – Stover has won a Super Bowl, and Vinatieri has won four – but that both are so good in pressure-filled situations.
“You have to understand (if) it’s a fourth-quarter kick, you’ve got to make those,” Stover said. “If you ask Adam the same thing, (he’ll say) you have to relish those opportunities. If you don’t want them as a kicker, get out of the game.”
Don’t you think a team like Houston, which has seen Kris Brown miss two late potential game-tying field goals in the last two weeks, would kill to have either of the Colts’ kickers?
It’s likely the Colts will stick with Vinatieri, 36, when he gets back into the lineup, but it’s important to consider he had surgery on his right knee and hip last summer, and that’s the same knee that had cartilage removed from it in October. Also, Vinatieri’s reliability has slipped a bit in the last year and a half; he is 26 for 33 in that span.
Of course, Stover was a free agent early this season, after making 27 of 33 kicks last season. Baltimore must regret letting him go, though. Maybe the Ravens thought he was over the hill at 41. Clearly, he’s not.
“I’ve spoken with retired kickers like Norm Johnson, Morten Andersen, Gary Anderson and they said, ‘There will be a euphoric feeling coming over you when you know you don’t have to come up with those game winners anymore,’ ” Stover said. “But I still want to do it, and I know there’s a lot more kicking to be done this year, and I’m excited to be out there doing it.”
