Alec Pierce's 19-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Colts' Week 13 game against the Houston Texans put the first Colts points up on the board on Sunday, but it didn't yield the expected seven points; the Colts had to settle for a 6-3 lead after kicker Michael Badgley missed the PAT.
The Colts went on to lose 20-16, dropping their first home game of the season and moving to 8-4 overall. On what ended up being the Colts' final possession of the game, they were able to reach Houston's 31-yard line -- within Badgley's field goal range -- but were forced to continue to go for it on third and fourth down, as they trailed by four. They would have, in theory, been able to tie the game with a field goal had Badgley made the earlier PAT.
"You got to make those points," Badgley said after the game. "You make that extra point and you give us a chance there at the end to tie it up. So just got to score when we can and got to do my job."
That was Badgley's third missed PAT since joining the Colts in Week 6 following Spencer Shrader sustaining season-ending ACL and MCL injuries while kicking a PAT. Badgley has connected on 10 of his 11 field goal attempts, hitting a 53-yarder in Week 9 and making a 42-yard field goal on Sunday. He also made his other PAT against the Texans following Tyler Warren's touchdown.
"Just missed them," Badgley said. "Nothing much to it. Just got to make your free throws."
"I love Badge, but he knows he's gotta make those kicks, you know," head coach Shane Steichen said. "So we have faith in whoever we put out there.
