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February 10, 2012
SLAM! Sports SLAM! CFL SLAM! NFL    COLUMNS 2001 SEASON 2000 RECAP NFL HISTORY CFL FOOTBALL - Standings INTERACTIVE ALSO ON SLAM!  |
Mike Vanderjagt is a first-year kicker with the Indianapolis Colts. As a native of Oakville, Ontario, Vanderjagt realized a childhood ambition as both kicker and punter for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts for the past two Grey Cup championship seasons. In the '96 Grey Cup, he was successful on all five of his field goal attempts and was named Canadian MVP. Vanderjagt never missed a field goal attempt in four games of CFL postseason action. Mike found a new challenge in '98, signing as a free agent with the Colts in March. To earn the job in Indianapolis, Mike had to unseat seven-year NFL veteran and 1996 Pro Bowl selection Cary Blanchard. And he did. Mike has agreed to share his personal thoughts each week of his NFL rookie season with SLAM! Sports.
Week Sixteen - Colts at Seahawks Mike enters the game with 80 points in his first NFL season. He has been successful on 20 of 24 field goal efforts and hasn't missed in 20 extra point tries. Week Fifteen - Bengals 26 at Colts 39 Mike was successful on his only field goal attempt from 50 yards out giving the Colts a 10-0 lead over the Bengals early in the first quarter. He added four extra points. Week Fourteen - Colts 21 at Falcons 28 Mike converted three early Colt touchdowns as Indy took an early 21-7 lead over the Falcons. Unfortunately, that would be all the scoring for the Colts. Week Thirteen - Colts 31 at Ravens 38 Vandy hoofed a 53-yard field goal 4:45 into the first quarter, for his longest NFL kick to date. He added four PATs for a total of seven points. Week Twelve - Colts 11 at Bills 34 Grey Cup day. And yet for the first time in three years, the minds of Doug Flutie and Mike Vanderjagt were'nt on the Grey Cup. Primarily, anyway. Mike opens the scoring with a 27 yard field goal in the first quarter, and later added a single point after as the Colts stumble against a tough Bills defence. Week Eleven - Jets 23 at Colts 24 The Colts draw first blood with a 31-yard Vanderjagt field goal early in the first quarter. The low point comes when Mike tries a 63-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, which falls to Aaron Glenn four yards deep in the endzone. Hall returned the ball 104 yards for a touchdown and 23-10 Jets lead at the half. The high point was Mike's third extra point of the game, the deciding point in a 24-23 Colt win. Week Ten - Colts 14 at Dolphins 27 Mike enters the game with 16 successful field goals in 18 attempts, and six PATs for 54 points. The hardluck Colts, who have lost their last three by seven, three and five points, will try to defeat the Dolphins in Miami where they are a perfect 4-0 this season. Week Nine - Patriots 21 at Colts 16 Mike brought the Colts within four points of the Patriots at 14-10 before halftime, nailing a successful 49 yard attempt. In the end, it was just another tough loss for the Colts, who move to 1-7 in a fiercely competitive AFC East. "It's time for our playoff run," said Vanderjagt. Week Eight - Gone Fishin' Week eight was a bye week for the Colts, and Mike took the opportunity to return home to the Toronto area for the first time since the start of the season. Even took in the Argo game with former Argo teammate Doug Flutie. Week Seven - Colts 31 at 49ers 34 Ouch! For a while it seemed as though the Colts were going to do something they hadn't been able to do in just more than 30 years -- beat the 49ers at home. Week Six - Bills 31 at Colts 24 Mike's former teammate Doug Flutie, now back-up quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, had to spoil the reunion. On the Saturday night before the two former Argonauts were to meet at the RCA Dome with their new teams, they got together for dinner and a little reminiscing. Week Five - Chargers 12 at Colts 17 Playing the second of a three-game homestand, the 0-4 Colts hosted the 2-2 San Diego Chargers. Indianapolis closes its three-game home streak by hosting Buffalo on October 11. Week Four - Saints 19 at Colts 13 After two weeks on the road, Mike and the Colts begin a three-game home stand against the New Orleans Saints at the RCA Dome, but suffer a disappointing 19-13 overtime loss and fall to 0-4. Vanderjagt was good on both field goal attempts and finally got to kick an extra point after Marshall Faulk's electrifying 78-yard touchdown pass and run. Week Three - Colts 6 at Jets 44 Well, on the bright side, our lonesome kicker got on the field. That's about the best thing we can say about a 44-6 thrashing by the Jets at the Meadowlands. Vanderjagt accounted for all the Indianapolis scoring, with two more field goals. The rookie Colt is now an impressive five-for-five in the field goal department. Week Two - Colts 6 at Patriots 29 Mike was indeed a lonesome kicker on Sunday night. His Indianapolis Colts dropped a 29-6 decision to the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Mass, and our man Mike spent the entire game on the bench waiting for the opportunity to kick a field goal or extra point. The Colts managed only one touchdown late in the game on a three-yard pass from rookie quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Torrance Small. But, in a scene reminiscent of comic Adam Sandler's musical spoof The Lonesome Kicker, Vanderjagt remained on the sidelines while the Colts tried for a two-point convert. Week One - Dolphins 24 at Colts 15 In winning the Colts' kicking job, Mike had a leg up on the competition. The Canadian Football League puts more emphasis on an efficient kicking game with only three downs to make 10 yards on offence, instead of four. By definition, CFL kickers will see the field more often than in the U.S. But consider the natural elements, too. Imagine taking a long snap in the wind and cold of Taylor Field in Regina or Winnipeg Stadium in November. It's a long way from the comfort of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. By nature, Canadian kickers and punters are a brave and talented group. The Preseason Kickers are known for their nerves of steel. Mike Vanderjagt needed them as much in the offseason as he does on the field. In deciding to sign with the Colts, he was leaving his home in Oakville and a rock-solid job with the hometown Argos to join a team that was 3-13 in 1997. "In my mind, it was my job to lose," said Vanderjagt. "It was just a feeling I had when dealing with (Colts' president) Bill Polian and others from the front office. I was kicking against Cary in practice every other day and the newspapers were saying that 'Mike had the advantage because he could do both, punt and place kick'." |