Reply #5: To me it just shows general ignorance

[Ravenseye]

If they had returned Bettis' fumble for a touchdown and won the game I would have been screaming for hours. I wouldn't have blamed Bettis though. Sure he hadn't fumbled all season, but that kinda shit happens. It was a solid perfect hit helmet to ball by the linebacker, not any fault of Bettis'.

The thing about blaming the kicker is that it just seems so much easier, especially when the kick is within range, in a dome, no wind, home crowd, etc.

Yet honestly that kind of stuff happens, which is why when you get into field goal 'range' you try and get the best possible kick for your kicker. A 46 yarder is not a gimme, even in a dome. IF he had hit the upright and it had bounced away, would the blame still be on the kicker or would it be on Mannign for not just picking up those 2 yards on 2nd and 2 and then it being a 44 yarder or less, plus having 3 more plays to go for the endzone or get closer?

A whole bunch of shitty playcalling on the part of the Colts and Manning all game wound up with them being lucky enough to blame it on one kick by Vanderjagt.

If it came down to your kicker and he chokes, then its your fault it came down to him in some way.