HOUSTON – When kicker Matt Ammendola booted a potential game-tying long-distance kick last Sunday, the football sailed 58 yards before clanging off the crossbar.
That accurate kick which came up short spelled the end of the Texans’ 24-21 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ammendola also missed a 50-yard field goal try.
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Days later, the Texans released Ammendola from the active roster and signed him back to the practice squad after he cleared waivers. He has made 3 of 6 field goals, including missing his last three kicks, since going 3 for 3, including a game-winning 38-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals when regular kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was placed on injured reserve with a strained quadriceps.
The Texans brought Ammendola back after working out veteran kickers Brett Maher and Taylor Russolino on Tuesday, per sources.
Now, the Texans plan to elevating Ammendola and have him kick Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
The Texans could designate regular kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn for return as soon as next week when he’s eligible after missing four weeks with a strained quadriceps. Fairbairn has made a speedy recovery with significant progress in recent weeks, per sources.
Although Ammendola has missed his last three field goals, Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross expressed confidence in him.
Look, if we’re putting Matt out there then we’re in full confidence in him,” Ross said. “As long as we’re driving the ball down the field, we’re expected to go out there and make points every single time. Unfortunate circumstances or whatever you want to call it, but, look, we have to make our kicks.
“He knows that and not afraid to do that at any point throughout the game. It’s not, ‘Hey, if it goes in by six inches, then we’re carrying him off on our shoulders type of thing. I think no matter what we’re going to play our game and happy to have him and excited for him to continue to be our kicker here.”
Ammendola, the replacement for regular injured kicker Ka’imi Faibairn, has now missed all of his tries from 50 yards or beyond in the NFL.
Three plays after Texans rookie quarterback Josh Allen was sacked for the second time on the drive, one play after an incompletion to running back Devin Singletary, coach DeMeco Ryans sent Ammendola onto the field to try the long-distance kick with the game on the line after missing a try from 50 yards earlier in the game.
“I honestly thought the kick was going in,” said Ammendola, who kicked last season for the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. “Obviously, it came up a step short. I had full confidence. It is what it is, just got to get back to work and keep going.”
That kick, with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, spelled the end of the Texans’ comeback attempt.
The Jaguars improved to 8-3, and the Texans fell to 6-5 with this setback.
Why attempt the field goal when Ammendola has never made a kick beyond 49 yards? He has, now, missed every field goal attempt since going 3 for 3 on kicks of 45, 22 and 38 yards.
“Yeah, it felt like that was the right decision for us to kick the ball,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “It was close. It just didn’t go in. I thought we had good range from there, just didn’t make the kick.”
Ammendola emphasized he felt like the Texans had a good operation between him, long snapper Jon Weeks and holder Cameron Johnston.
The kick just wasn’t quite long enough. He hit it right down the middle and it doinked.
“I just came up a step short,” Ammendola said. “I got to get back to business. It’s like anything. I just got get back to work, hit that reset button.
“I’ve just got to go out there and execute. It happens. I was a little bit shocked because I never come up short. Just got to dial it in and get ready for next week.”
When the Texans made the call for Ammendola to try the field goal, there was confidence in him that he would make the kick.
“That’s the coaches’ decision,” said rookie wide receiver Tank Dell, who caught a touchdown. “They felt like that was the best decision for the team, I felt like it was the best decision for the team. It was right there, that close. All love for him, he tried his best, came up short. A couple weeks ago, he made it, so you can’t be mad. It’s football.”
Promoted from the practice squad after Fairbairn was placed on injured reserve, Ammendola has earned trust from his teammates. It wasn’t like he shanked the kick. He just didn’t have quite enough distance.
“We counted on Ammendola to make that field goal and we put our trust in him because we know he can do that,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “It didn’t go in, but our trust doesn’t stop. We still trust in him to do that, and we know he can make those.”
Instead of having Stroud throw the football again, the Texans went in a different direction and the decision backfired.
“It’s a great one to learn from, but, no, you don’t want to lose a close game like that,” Stroud said. “It’s tough to put it all on the kicker’s hand and everything. I think Matt has done a great job, and we have to put him in better situations. Maybe get closer or even go try to score a touchdown and win the game. A lot of different things that could happen and play out a different way.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.