Tag: Chase McLaughlin

Colts’ Chase McLaughlin discusses missed FG vs. Bucs

Chase McLaughlin made five of his six kicks on Sunday.

It has only been a few days that Chase McLaughlin has been the starting kicker for the Indianapolis Colts, but he got his first taste of game action in the 38-25 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Filling in for the injured Adam Vinatieri, McLaughlin was strong throughout the majority of the game—except when it came to a 47-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.

Hitting off the right goal post, McLaughlin missed his only kick on the day. The rookie explained what happened on the missed kick following the game.

“I played it exactly the way I wanted to. The wind just died a little bit on me and it happened to fade right instead of left.,” McLaughlin told reporters. “I played it exactly how I wanted to. I thought it was in right when it came off, I hit it the exact same way as the 50; going the same way earlier in the game, just got a little unlucky.”

Outside of the crucial missed kick, McLaughlin was smooth in his field-goal attempts and gave no doubt on the extra-point attempts. He wound up making two field goals while converting three extra points.

Missing a field goal and losing by three points are never two things that can be spun in a positive way. But head coach Frank Reich said after the game he came away impressed with his performance.

“I thought he did well, obviously that one kick was – the first kick, the 50-yarder was not an easy kick,” Reich said. “A little bit of a breeze in the face, but hit it well so I thought he looked good.”

It will be interesting to see what the Colts do. McLaughlin probably showed enough to warrant holding the job over Vinatieri. However, Vinatieri is likely to return to the starting role upon the conclusion of his knee injury—if that knee injury heals by the time the season is over.

Regardless, the missed field goal wound up having an impact on the outcome, but McLaughlin seemed to have impressed his head coach.

Sean McDermott confirms Bills’ interest in K Chase McLaughlin

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDemott on kicker Chase McLaughlin.

On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Buffalo Bills were curiously one of three teams that put in a waiver claims for kicker Chase McLaughlin.

The former Bill kicker from training camp this summer has hopped around a bit since the Bills cut him. He’s had a good run of form, good enough for the Colts to claim him ahead of the Bills in the order, which is the only reason why he’s not in Buffalo. The Patriots also put in a bid for him, but sit behind the Bills in the NFL’s waiver order.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that report on Thursday.

“It’s just like any position and us continually trying to add players to our team we feel like can help us,” McDermott told reporters.

McDermott added that the move was “no reflection” on the Bills’ current kicker, Stephen Hauschka.

Regardless, the move is an interesting one considering Hauschka’s struggles. Hauschka has missed two extra points this season and has a 71.4 conversion rate so far this season, a career-low.

McLaughlin has been 13-for-17 on kicks this year, but recently had a good spell with the 49ers. He was 7-for-8 kicking and his lone miss in three games was a game-winning attempt after he converted on a game-tying kick. McLaughlin also had a spell with the Chargers earlier this season.

The 23-year-old was released after Robbie Gould returned from injury to the 49ers.

In a corresponding move, the team waived tight end Matt Lengel, not kicker Adam Viniteri, who’s struggled all year. He’s undoubtedly one of the NFL’s best kickers ever, but he’s also dealing with a knee injury along with his struggles. It remains to be seen what the Colts do.

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Report: Patriots put in a claim for Colts’ new kicker Chase McLaughlin

The search for a kicker continues in Foxborough. 

The search for a kicker continues in Foxborough.

After releasing Kai Forbath, New England’s fourth kicker this season, they’re back to square one. Some hope arose when the San Francisco 49ers released Chase McLaughlin, who took over for the injured Robbie Gould. McLaughlin made all of his eight point after attempts and he was 7-for-8 on field goal attempts.

The Patriots haven’t seemed to be in a rush for a kicker this week, and it’s possible that they were waiting for McLaughlin. But, the Indinapolis Colts had priority and quickly picked up him before the Patriots could. Veteran Adam Vinatieri has struggled with the Colts all season, and they needed some assurance at the position.

New England did indeed put a claim in for McLaughlin, along with the Buffalo Bills, but the Colts came out on top.

The Patriots will either bring back Nick Folk after he is cleared to play, or they’ll continue the search for kickers off of the waivers.

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Colts claim K Chase McLaughlin, waive TE Matt Lengel

Colts make a move at kicker.

The Indianapolis Colts claimed kicker Chase McLaughlin off of waivers and waived tight end Matt Lengel, the team announced Wednesday.

With Adam Vinatieri dealing with a knee injury that kept him limited in Wednesday’s practice, it seems the Colts are preparing for the possibility that Vinatieri can’t go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14.

McLaughlin, 23, originally signed with the Buffalo Bills following the 2019 NFL Draft. He has also spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, who waived him on Wednesday. He had stints with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad and with the Los Angeles Chargers.

In seven games this season, McLaughlin has converted 13 of 17 field-goal attempts while converting all 15 of his extra-point attempts.

Report: 49ers to open practice window for DL Kentavius Street

The 49ers may get some help on the defensive line with Kentavius Street’s practice window set to open according to Matt Barrows.

The 49ers on Tuesday made a flurry of roster moves that signal the potential return of second-year defensive lineman Kentavius Street. They also made an adjustment on their practice squad that may have long-term ramifications on the 53-man roster.

Matt Barrows of the Athletic reported the 49ers plan to open Street’s practice window after placing him on Injured Reserve with a knee injury before the start of the season. He was on the initial 53-man roster which made him eligible to return during the season. Since he’s beyond the required eight week stint on IR, Street can return whenever the 49ers deem him ready for action.

Street, a fourth-round pick in 2018, experienced a flare up in his knee prior to the season after missing all of his rookie campaign recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in a pre-draft workout.

With defensive lineman Jullian Taylor nursing an elbow injury that will force him to miss at least two weeks, and defensive tackle Chris Jones working through an ankle injury he sustained in Baltimore, Street would offer some necessary depth along the interior of the defensive line. He posted 8.0 sacks and 19.0 tackles for loss in four years at North Carolina State.

His return would require the team to make a corresponding roster move, which they may have done Tuesday when they released kicker Chase McLaughlin without replacing his vacant roster spot. McLaughlin signed prior to Week 10 when Robbie Gould went down with a quad injury. The rookie connected on seven of his eight field goal attempts, and drilled all eight of his extra point tries.

San Francisco also made an adjustment on their practice squad, releasing offensive lineman Will Holden to make room for wide receiver Chris Thompson. This is Thompson’s third stint with the club after two brief stints in August. He was released at final roster cuts.

With Dante Pettis dealing with a knee injury and Marquise Goodwin’s rapid demotion to a small special teams role, Thompson offers in-house wide receiver depth with special teams experience in the NFL. He played 260 special teams snaps across 13 games as an undrafted rookie for the Texans in 2017.

 

3 kickers who could replace Ka’imi Fairbairn right now

Amid a poor season by Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, the Texans should consider trying out these three kickers.

The Houston Texans have not been getting it done as a kicking team. Third-year place kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn has shown regression in 2019 after leading the NFL in scoring in 2018. In turn, the Texans have watched easy points fall off the board.

On the year, Fairbairn is 13 for 18 on field goals (72.2%) and 24 for 29 on extra points (82.8%). On Sunday, he missed a 43-yarder in a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Those, in the NFL, are unacceptable numbers.

If the Texans see Fairbairn’s struggles as a reason to replace him, it won’t be easy. The kicker market, as it usually is in Nov., is barren. Nonetheless, here are three options Bill O’Brien and Co. should consider going into Week 12’s Thursday game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Greg Joseph

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

A 69.5% field goal kicker at Florida Atlantic, Greg Joseph landed with the Miami Dolphins after going undrafted in 2018. Then, as the replacement to Zane Gonzalez in Cleveland, Joseph served as the Browns’ kicker for 14 games in 2018.

In Cleveland, Joseph drilled 85% of his 20 field goal attempts, missing two from the 40-49 range, and one from 50+. He drilled a game-winning 37-yarder in Week 5. His shortfalls ultimately came down to extra point kicking, as he went 25 for 29 (86.2%) as a rookie. He is now a member of the XFL’s Seattle Dragons.

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Instant analysis of Seattle’s 27-24 OT victory over San Francisco

The Seahawks and 49ers went into overtime in a Monday night classic, with Seattle prevailing, 27-24, to hand San Francisco their first loss.

In an instant classic that should reignite their rivalry, the Seattle Seahawks escaped with a 27-24 overtime victory over the 49ers on Monday night, handing San Francisco its first loss of the season.

As the clock expired, kicker Jason Myers nailed the game-winner from 42 yards out after his counterpart, Chase McLaughlin of the 49ers, missed a potential game-winner earlier in the extra period. It was the second straight overtime win for the Seahawks, who beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40-34 in Week 9.

The Seahawks once again got off to a very slow start against San Francisco, quickly going down 10-0 in the first quarter. It almost went very differently, with Shaquill Griffin appearing to pick off Jimmy Garoppolo on the first drive of the game — but a holding penalty on nickel cornerback Jamar Taylor negated the pick and led to a field goal for San Francisco.

Taylor got beaten badly on the following drive, allowing Garoppolo to find Kendrick Bourne for a touchdown to give San Francisco an early 10-0 lead.

The momentum eventually swung back to the Seahawks, however, with Jarran Reed forcing a fumble in the second quarter that was recovered by Jadeveon Clowney, who picked it up and walked into the end zone for his second touchdown of the season.

Seattle nearly scored again right before halftime, but wide receiver DK Metcalf was stripped at the 2-yard line by Jaquiski Tartt, allowing the 49ers to take their 10-7 lead into the break.

The third quarter was mostly uneventful until Garoppolo, while getting hit by linebacker Mychal Kendricks, overthrew Dante Pettis. The ball landed right in the hands of Seattle’s new safety, Quandre Diggs, who returned the interception 44 yards to the 49ers’ 16-yard line.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson found Jacob Hollister in the end zone a few plays later, giving Hollister his third career touchdown — all which have come in the last two games. It was Seattle’s first lead of the game, with 4:37 left in the third quarter.

The Seahawks scored again to end the third on a one-yard touchdown run from Chris Carson. That score was also created by Jadeveon Clowney, who forced a fumble that was recovered by Poona Ford and gave Seattle outstanding field position.

However, San Francisco’s defensive line had tricks up their sleeves as well.  Wilson was sacked, and the ball landed in Germain Ifedi’s arms. He promptly fumbled it away, which allowed DeForest Buckner to pick it up and score a touchdown. A two-point conversion brought the score to 21-18 with 12 minutes to play.

After a San Francisco field goal tied things up, Wilson and the Seahawks marched down the field and scored on a field goal from Myers, who redeemed himself after missing a potential game-winner at the end of regulation last week. But the Seahawks missed a pair of interception opportunities on the ensuing drive, allowing San Francisco to nail a field goal of their own and send the game into overtime.

Seattle got the ball first, but after a handful of magnificent plays — including a third-and-16 conversion to Malik Turner after a highly questionable call in which Wilson was ruled to have been sacked — Wilson threw a red zone interception to Dre Greenlaw that put the 49ers in great field position. It was Wilson’s second interception of the season.

Seattle’s defense stepped up, though, and McLaughlin couldn’t convert his second consecutive 47-yard field goal attempt.

After a pair of failed drives for both sides, the Seahawks turned to Myers once again, and the former Pro Bowler nailed the 42-yard attempt to give San Francisco its first loss of the season and lift Seattle to 8-2.

It wasn’t the prettiest game, with both quarterbacks posting passer ratings below 90, along with myriad penalties, turnovers and injuries, but the Seahawks got the job done when it counted and have given themselves an excellent opportunity to still win the NFC West.

They’ll head into a much-deserved bye week next before taking on the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday, Nov. 24.

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George Kittle officially inactive for 49ers vs. Seahawks

The 49ers won’t have their star tight end in their biggest game of the year.

The 49ers will officially be without their star tight end Monday night against the Seahawks. Tight end George Kittle has officially been ruled out after being given a ‘doubtful’ designation Saturday. He joins kicker Robbie Gould and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon among the inactive starters for San Francisco.

Here’s the full list of inactives for the 49ers:

TE George Kittle
OL Justin Skule
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
QB C.J. Beathard
DT Jullian Taylor
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
K Robbie Gould

The silver lining in this group is that it doesn’t include Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey or Kyle Juszczyk. The two starting tackles and starting fullback were instrumental in the 49ers’ dominance on the ground early in the year.

Staley broke his fibula in Week 2, McGlinchey hurt his knee and needed arthroscopic surgery after Week 5, and Juszczyk sprained his MCL in Week 5.

Witherspoon was ‘100 percent healthy’ according to a report from NBC Sports’ Jennifer Lee Chan, but he’s still inactive after being limited in practice all week with foot and quad injuries. He sprained his foot in Week 3, then suffered a setback just as he was getting ready to return.

Gould getting ruled out isn’t a huge surprise. San Francisco braced for that by adding kicker Chase McLaughlin on Wednesday after Gould suffered a quad injury during Tuesday’s bonus practice.

San Francisco survived without their tackles and fullback on offense, now they have to devise a way to win without their most impactful player on that side of the ball.

Here are the Seahawks inactives: