Blankenship redemption! SPT player of week. Also leads AFC in PB vote(Merge)

[CR91]

Missing the 50 yarder earlier to come back with the game winner!!!!!

[Indeee]

Revenge of the Nerd....HA!!

[StatesmanN]

Extremely accurate kicker.

Leg strength is somewhat lacking.  He doesn't have that pop when he hits the ball.

 

But that is something he can work on during the off season with certain strength exercises so I am guessing it will get better next year.

[Lancer1]

He may look like an Accountant, but he gets the job done!

[GoColts8818]

I am not going to lose my mind about a 50 yard miss (not that anyone is) but I’ve noticed how right down the middle he is on his kicks and a sight for sore eyes.

[holeymoley99]

Our rookie class was outstanding today...Pittman lead wr corps, Taylor have tough runs all day, Blackmon forced fumble in ot amoung other things and Hot Rod brought it home....

[indyagent17]

That was a huge kick by him but it is very disconcerting that he was short on the 50 yard field goal. We could’ve gone for a 54 yard try late but Reich opted not too. It all worked out tonight but I have to wonder if that is something coach is worried about

[John Hammonds]

Never count out a guy who plays with legos.

[2006Coltsbestever]

He is very accurate but his leg strength is questionable. Inside of 50 I trust him. The one he missed was from 50 by an inch.

[a06cc]

Had a few people laughing at me when he missed that kick. For sure redeemed himself! 

[Malakai432]

Love Bubbles v2.0!

 

[Lancer1]

1 minute ago, indyagent17 said:

That was a huge kick by him but it is very disconcerting that he was short on the 50 yard field goal. We could’ve gone for a 54 yard try late but Reich opted not too. It all worked out tonight but I have to wonder if that is something coach is worried about

If you go for the 54 yarder & miss, you give Rodgers & the Packers pretty good field position, real late in the game.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

Maybe that 50 yarder that was short was a brady ball(under inflated).

[holeymoley99]

He was 6 of 9 from 50 plus in college.... long I believe was 55 yards

[Mr.Debonair]

I def am happy he made majority of his kicks. Still concerned about the leg strength tho

[danlhart87]

 

Blank when he missed 

 

 

 

Blank when he won 

[richard pallo]

We just witnessed the 1st of his many future game winners for the Colts.  

[bestQBever]

The accuracy is astonishing on his kicks. Most right down the middle. Now my man just needs to do some squats and deadlifts while maintaining flexibility

[Lancer1]

The 50+ yarders will come - the fact that he hit their upright from that far out tells me that it isn't an accuracy issue, as some of his kicks would be good from 55.

[PuntersArePeopleToo]

1 hour ago, Lancer1 said:

He may look like an Accountant, but he gets the job done!

Heyy I do not look like that at all!!

[Smoke317]

I think Hot Rod missed the 50 yarder because he was more focused on his accuracy, and didn’t look to really drive the ball.  Kinda like when you focus so much on making the perfect golf swing, that you do in fact hit it straight but you leave it 10 feet short and miss the green... Be interesting to see how he adjusts on his next long one. I doubt it’ll be short from 50. 

[Dogg63]

 

[Coltsman1788]

11 hours ago, CR91 said:

Missing the 50 yarder earlier to come back with the game winner!!!!!

Listening to his post game interview...he is a faith based young man.  Glad he got his opportunity for redemption and was able to make the most of it. I like this kid. Nice to have another nerd on the squad since Andrew Luck is no longer here. Lol. 

[AZColt11]

I'm with most of you.  Accurate inside 45.  Past that, it's an adventure.  Doesn't seem to have that Justin Tucker sort of pop.  But so long as we KNOW what his range is.  Will probably likely cost you a game somewhere down the line where you either missed a long one or had to forego an attempt because you knew he couldn't get it there.  My sincere question is:  did he get all of that 50 yarder or did he miss the ball a little bit?  Any kicking experts here know?

[chad72]

11 hours ago, StatesmanN said:

Extremely accurate kicker.

Leg strength is somewhat lacking.  He doesn't have that pop when he hits the ball.

 

But that is something he can work on during the off season with certain strength exercises so I am guessing it will get better next year.

 

You nailed it!!!  

[chad72]

11 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

I am not going to lose my mind about a 50 yard miss (not that anyone is) but I’ve noticed how right down the middle he is on his kicks and a sight for sore eyes.

 

True. I took my eyes off his kick once I saw it was dead center thinking it was 10-7 only to turn around when the commentator mentioned the doink. It wasn't the Cody Parkey like double doink where it was heading towards the pole to begin with. 

[w87r]

Not sure why everyone is so concerned about his leg strength. He was hitting from 55yds+ in training camp.

 

He clearly just didn't get all of his 50yd attempt. He has plenty of leg.

[CamMo]

I think maybe it was Kevin Bowen tweeting out before the game - Hot Rod didn’t have ANY attempts past 44 yards all season. That missed 50 yarder was his first one. He’ll get the next one.

[Fluke_33]

googled his longest:

 

HS Blank-

 

Rodrigo Blankenship Kicks 68-Yard Field Goal - YouTube

 

And college Blank:

 

Rose Bowl Record 55-Yard Field Goal by UGA’s Rodrigo Blankenship - YouTube

 

 

 

 

 

[John Waylon]

The missed 50 yarder was unfortunate, especially for my fantasy team, but I was actually surprised he missed it. I didn’t think range was much of an issue with him. Maybe he just didn’t get all of it on that one. Either way, I like the kid and I’m glad he’s here. 

[Stephen]

1 hour ago, John Waylon said:

The missed 50 yarder was unfortunate, especially for my fantasy team, but I was actually surprised he missed it. I didn’t think range was much of an issue with him. Maybe he just didn’t get all of it on that one. Either way, I like the kid and I’m glad he’s here. 

Yea he didn't  get enough of  the ball

[il vecchio]

3 hours ago, AZColt11 said:

I'm with most of you.  Accurate inside 45.  Past that, it's an adventure.  Doesn't seem to have that Justin Tucker sort of pop.  But so long as we KNOW what his range is.  Will probably likely cost you a game somewhere down the line where you either missed a long one or had to forego an attempt because you knew he couldn't get it there.  My sincere question is:  did he get all of that 50 yarder or did he miss the ball a little bit?  Any kicking experts here know?

 

Not at all a kicking expert, but it sure looked like he didn't quite get it all.  The kick seemed to be spinning faster than most longer kicks do, indicating more of the energy of the kick went into rotational motion than translational.  If that's so, then perhaps he hit the ball a tad lower of center than normal.

[GoColts8818]

Hot Rod explains the 50 yarder 

 

 

[Boondoggle]

I don't think they're going to be happy long term if he can't hit a 50 yarder.  He's going to need to work on that range.  But for now I do like the accuracy.

[Dogg63]

Rewatch Blank's reaction after nailing the game winner. Happy boy!

 

 

[Arodgers12]

Remember the 1997 game between our 2 teams came down to a Game winning FG as well, remember that?

[GoColts8818]

34 minutes ago, Dogg63 said:

Rewatch Blank's reaction after nailing the game winner. Happy boy!

 

 

You know when he walked out I had no doubt he was going to nail the kick.  He’s been so down the middle this year and has rarely missed kicks it’s amazing how fast my faith in him has grown.  There are two kids I wanted badly coming out of college the past three years.  One was AJ Brown and everytime he plays I think gosh you should have been a Colt and the other was Hot Rod.

[danlhart87]

 

[NorthernColt]

The missed 50 did scare me a bit at first, but upon looking at it again, I think he just miss hit it, not a matter of leg strength. The ball had terrible wobbly spin, which would mean he chunked it. Plus he hit the 43 with ease, that definitely still would have been good from 50+. But definitely did scare me lol.

[Dark Superman]

I figured something went wrong with the way the ball left his foot and died at the crossbar on a kick Rodrigo should've easily cleared by 10-15 yards. What a way to bounce back though and kick your first game winner at home against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.