Lions Lob Rare Criticism at Jake Bates for Avoidable Slip-Up
Despite focusing on their upcoming game against the Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions cannot wrap their heads around last week’s crushing defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. While both the offense and defense share responsibility for the loss, much of the blame has been dealt to second-year kicker Jake Bates.
According to Detroit Lions beat reporter Jeremy Reisman, special teams coach Dave Fipp attributed the blocked field goal attempt “entirely because of the kick trajectory”. Down seven with 6:29 left in the game, Bates’ 45-yard field goal was blocked and returned to Detroit’s 26-yard line. Just before Bates kicked the ball, his foot hit the turf early, kicking up pellets and affecting his kick.
This momentum-swinging play ultimately crushed the Lions’ hopes of mounting a comeback, as the Vikings extended their lead to 10 with a field goal with just 3:33 remaining in the game.
Jake Bates’ Recent Kicking Struggles Starting to Raise Concerns
Bates' blocked kick has summed up his kicking struggles this season. Through eight games, the 26-year-old has made nine of his 13 field goal attempts, hitting just 69.2% of his kicks, which is well below the league average of 83.9%. While Bates has connected on all of his 30 extra point attempts and has made all but one kick from under 50 yards, he’s struggled to hit kicks from 50 and beyond, nailing just two of his five attempts.
This comes as a surprise considering how terrific he was in his rookie season. Last year, Bates quickly emerged as one of the best kickers in the league, connecting on 26 of his 29 field goal attempts, ranking 11th in field goal percentage (89.7%), while hitting six of his eight attempts from over 50 yards. His 64 made extra points ranks seventh all-time for the most extra points made in a season.
Lions’ fans have every right to be concerned and frustrated with Bates’ recent performance. He’s already missed more field goals than he did all of last year, and he’s had a miss in each of Detroit's past two games. While Bates rightly received criticism for his low kick that played a part in last week’s loss, fans shouldn’t expect his disappointing play to continue.
All kickers, no matter how good they are, will go through slumps. Kickers, just like baseball players, go through stretches where they are unable to hit and have to make adjustments to their approach. In these times, their coaches should be the ones giving them encouragement and advice on how to get them back on track.
Fipp made a bold move, giving Bates criticism for his slip-up, and while it was fair for him to do so, he should be the one responsible for getting Bates back into his rookie form. Whether it's a technique or confidence issue, the Lions must rebuild Bates and put him in the right position to succeed.
Perhaps it’s bypassing a short-yardage situation on fourth down and opting instead to attempt a field goal that gets Bates out of his slump. Regardless, Lions fans shouldn’t give up on Bates just yet, as having quality kickers has become a rarity, and Bates has demonstrated that he is one of them.
This week is the perfect time for Bates to come out of his slump, as the Commanders will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for the foreseeable future. Detroit's offense should be able to score at will and give Bates plenty of opportunities to put the ball through the goalpost.
Cam Newton Thinks Aaron Rodgers Could Be An MVP Candidate With Better Receivers
The Pittsburgh Steelers could not possibly complain about the way Aaron Rodgers has performed in 2025. Considering his age, and some of the problems that have popped up offensively throughout the year, he’s done as much as he can. He’s won them games with his arm and has been one of the only things to keep them close in some of their losses.
Part of the reason the Steelers brought Rodgers in was due to his stacked resume. They wanted a quarterback who has been there and done that, which Rodgers and his four NFL MVP awards certainly have. Former NFL QB Cam Newton thinks Rodgers could be on the way to earning his fifth this year but that his lack of receiving help is letting him down.
“It’s not the quarterback, it’s the amenities,” Newton said Friday on ESPN’s First Take. “He has shown that his play is still at a high level. And if it wasn’t for the Velcro-esque route running from the receivers, limiting separation, we may be mentioning him for the MVP, at this age.”
Aaron Rodgers is definitely playing at a high level. He’s completing 68.7 percent of his passes, has 17 touchdown passes to five interceptions, and a solid passer rating of 103.1. Those numbers are terrific for a player who turns 42 in a month. And he’s certainly been one of the better quarterbacks in the league this season.
However, the MVP may be a little much. Rodgers is only throwing for 211.5 yards per game, so he’s not exactly throwing the ball all over the field. He’s also focusing on getting the ball out as quick as possible. So there are some limitations to his game.
However, that’s where Newton’s argument comes in. When Rodgers has good blocking, he’s shown a willingness to sit in the pocket and extend plays. He did it throughout the Steelers’ loss to Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago.
That blocking hasn’t been there often enough though. The line is getting better as the year goes on. However, it’s not enough for Rodgers to feel comfortable holding onto the ball on a consistent basis.
Newton also points to the receivers, something he’s done a few times recently. The Steelers could have made a splash move at the trade deadline but elected not to. They did bring in Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who will compete for time against the rest of the room. But in DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, the Steelers have some talent to go around. And we know how much Rodgers loves his tight ends as well.
Aaron Rodgers won’t be winning the MVP award this year. But Newton feeling comfortable enough to throw his name out there is a sign the Steelers made the right decision in signing him.
