Andy Reid is in denial. The Kansas City Chiefs coach wants to see the kicker he had four or five years ago, when Harrison Butker had one of the strongest legs in the league and he was nails in the clutch from long distance.
But that’s not the kicker Butker is now. He led the league in misses last year, and he had two more on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, per a report from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. One was on an extra point, with another coming on a field goal attempt. Butker made a field goal from 50 yards out, and the two misses didn’t hurt the Chiefs, as they went on to post a 22-6 win.
Reid said he’s “got trust in Harrison,” and he added that his kicker will “fix whatever the problem is.” He cited Butker’s work ethic, and it’s clear he stands behind it.
Behind the scenes, though, Reid probably knows better. He’s seen the decline, and it’s not something he can afford. The Chiefs are 5-0, but they’ve won close games against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts, and if this continues the Chiefs will have to do something about it.
Butker will undoubtedly deny most of whatever’s happening during his media availability on Wednesday, and he may even admit that something’s goine on. That’s tbd, and that’s all we know for the moment.
The kicker already did a fine bit of excuse-making when he reported for minicamp, saying it was working on kickoffs that messed him up last season. Butker kicked off on Sunday against the Chargers, so presumably that part of the problem has been addressed and solved.
If this was a one-game blip on the radar, it would be laughable to be taking this issue seriously. But it’s not. It’s been around for a season and a third, which makes it at least somewhat viable.
The schedule says this needs to be fixed quickly. The Chiefs travel to the Pacific Northwest on Sunday to play the Seattle Seahawks, and it’s hard not to imagine that not being a close game. That means Butker may have to kick from distance in one of the toughest road environments in the NFL, so we’ll learn more in that one.
After that the Chiefs travel to Denver, which will also be a key game. The Broncos will be itching for revenge after getting stomped by the Chiefs, 31-10, in Week 1, so making kicks will be even more important there. The altitude will help with the distance, but Butker needs to get this figured out fast.