Can Will the Thrill Keep It Going?
The Minnesota Vikings are likely to need to make a field goal on Sunday. Of course, Kevin O’Connell would prefer that his team only score touchdowns, but the reality is that taking the points works, too.
Can Will the Thrill Keep It Going?
Minnesota’s head coach benefits from employing one of the best kickers in football, Will Reichard, who has been nothing short of perfect.
Maybe there could have been some hand-wringing with the Vikings using a sixth-round pick on a kicker from Alabama. Truthfully though, it’s a position that probably stands to bear more fruit than any other if the prospect works out. Daniel Carlson, the last kicker drafted by Minnesota, has been among the best kickers in the league for some time. It just so happened that a slow start didn’t work for Mike Zimmer.
Reichard has been the exact opposite, though. Minnesota’s rookie has been perfect, nailing huge kicks during training camp and walking it off against the Las Vegas Raiders during the preseason. Through seven games this season, Reichard has made all 14 of his kicks, and he is 4-of-4 from 50 yards or more. He has hit each of his 20 extra points and never left the Vikings with a shadow of doubt.
On Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Reichard will be called on to make kicks once again. The Vikings’ offense has largely continued to hum during their previous two defeats, but the defense has been lackluster and given up points in droves. Reichard can’t control that reality, but he can help his team put additional points on the board.
It’s never a good time to miss a kick, but Reichard hopes to avoid a haircut as he nails them this weekend. The last time Minnesota and Indianapolis played, the two teams were involved in a historic NFL game. Greg Joseph hit a 40-yard field goal in overtime to complete the comeback.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell would likely prefer to avoid a scenario in which Reichard is responsible for a comeback victory. If he has to go that route, however, there is an immense amount of confidence in the rookie. Just last week, the head coach was contemplating a 70-yard kick, and we may have seen it sail through the uprights.
Ultimately, a team never wants the game to come down to a single kick, but Reichard instills confidence that he can hit if called upon.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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