Rose’s kickoffs could counter return game
Concern about Cordarrelle Patterson, New England’s explosive return man, led the Chargers to sign Nick Rose to handle kickoff duties in the AFC divisional playoff game Sunday in Gillette Stadium.
Rose, who played 10 games last season, including two for the Chargers, practiced with the team Friday. Michael Badgley will continue to handle field goals and extra points.
“Anything that can make the team better, any advantage you can get, I’m for it,” Badgley said. “We’ve had great coverage all year, but this returner is pretty dangerous, so I guess it’s one of those things the coaches thought would give us a slight edge.”
Rose was the fourth and final kicker — following Younghoe Koo, Travis Coons and Nick Novak — employed by the Chargers during a 2017 season in which kicking woes probably cost them a playoff berth.
Rose, who was in training camp with the San Antonio Commanders of the new Alliance of American Football, had plenty of leg, knocking eight of nine kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks with the Chargers.
But accuracy was an issue — he made one of three field-goal attempts and five of six extra points.
Badgley, signed in October, has made 15 of 16 fieldgoal attempts, including a franchise-record 59-yarder against Cincinnati in Week 14, and 27 of 28 extra-points, but only nine of his 54 kickoffs were downed in the end zone for touchbacks.
The Chargers held returners to 21.7 yards per kickoff return, the eighth-best rate in the league, and they covered well Sunday in a wild-card win at Baltimore.
None of Badgley’s six kickoffs reached the end zone — one reached the 12yard line — but Ravens return man Ty Montgomery averaged only 17.7 yards per return.
Patterson averages 28.8 yards per kickoff return, and had a 95-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears in Week 7.
He returned four kickoffs for 179 yards in that game.
The Chargers would rather Rose kick into the end zone and the Patriots start each drive at the 25-yard line than risk a big return by Patterson.
“Our coverage units have been outstanding, but they cover kicks every single week, and the guy that we’re facing, Patterson, I think he’s one of the best in the business,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “So if we can kick the ball in the end zone a little bit, that might help.”
Rose said his agent called him earlier this week to notify him of the Chargers’ interest.
Rose spent much of the fall kicking three or four times a week near his home in Austin, Texas.
“You try to stay ready the whole year because you never know when the calls are going to come in,” Rose said. “This is by far the best opportunity I could have imagined. Hopefully I come in, get to stick around for three games and win a Super Bowl.” Henry eyes return
Hunter Henry said he boarded the flight for Boston on Friday with the mindset that he is playing Sunday, but the team still listed the tight end as “questionable” after practice Friday.
Henry, who established himself as one of the NFL’s best young tight ends in 2016 and 2017, is trying to make the improbable transition from supposedly seasonending knee surgery last June to the physically unable to perform list all season to playoff performer.
He returned to practice Dec. 17 and was added to the active roster Monday, but he did not play at Baltimore. Lynn said the team will make a decision Saturday.
“I wanted to be out there with the guys, especially being away that long and being that close and not being able to be out there — it was definitely frustrating,” Henry said. “But I just continued to go back to work and get ready for this week.”
Henry, who caught 36 passes for 478 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2016 and 45 passes for 579 yards and four touchdowns in 2017, said his knee feels good, and he is “not really concerned” about not having participated in a padded practice.
“I’m ready to go,” Henry said. “I’ve done it my whole life. It will be different, but once I get a hit out of the way, I’ll be good.”
Asked if he was playing Sunday, Henry said, with a big smile, “We’ll see.”
Female official to make history
Sarah Thomas will become the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game when she joins Ron Torbert’s crew as down judge for the Chargers-Patriots game. Thomas became the league’s first full-time female official four years ago.
“Well, these officials, it’s the best of the best, so Sarah must be one of the best, because that’s all they bring to the playoffs and the Super Bowl,” Lynn said. “I take my hat off to her. She’s done an outstanding job.”