Caleb Sturgis makes no excuses for missed kicks

LANDOVER, Md. - Caleb Sturgis' first game as the Eagles' kicker didn't go as he envisioned. Now the question is whether he will have a second game with the team.

Sturgis replaced Cody Parkey, who went on injured reserve with a groin injury last week. Coincidentally, for the second straight year an Eagles placekicker exited FedEx Field on a major downer.

Sturgis missed his lone field-goal attempt and an extra-point kick Sunday in a 23-20 loss to the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.

To make things worse for Sturgis, both botched kicks came from only 33 yards out.

With the Eagles trailing by 13-0, Sturgis was wide left on his field-goal attempt on the final play of the first half.

After the Eagles scored their first touchdown, Sturgis was wide right on the conversion kick. It was little consolation that he made his final two PATs.

"I missed, it is on me," he said about both kicks. "The operation was good, everything was good."

Except for the kicks.

A year ago, Parkey had to face the music and the media after a rough day at FedEx Field. He connected on just 1 of 3 attempts in a 27-24 loss to the Redskins on Dec. 20. Parkey missed from 34 and 46 yards as the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs.

Sturgis' situation could be considered worse since both of his misses were basically from chip-shot range. Naturally, his Eagles debut hit him hard. Like Parkey a season ago, Sturgis did not make excuses and answered the difficult questions.

"The rest of the team gave such a good effort today and played so well, so it is tough knowing I didn't do my part," he said.

Sturgis was 55 for 71 (77.5 percent) the previous two years kicking for the Miami Dolphins. He was released by Miami on Sept. 5.

It is safe to wonder whether Chip Kelly will make another move for a new kicker this week. At the least, Kelly wasn't letting his kicker off the hook for his performance.

"I would have to ask him technically, but he missed them," Kelly said. "It was a clean look, it was a clean snap and clean hold from where I saw on the sideline."

Kelly said he'd have to see the film, but he isn't likely to see anything to change his mind. For his part, Sturgis offered no alibis. When asked about the wind, he replied: "Wind shouldn't be a factor on field goals that short."

Kelly entered the game with confidence in Sturgis after seeing him perform at the NovaCare Complex. "He was fine in practice," Kelly said. "I said that the other day: There's a difference between practice and a game."

Sturgis, a former University of Florida kicker, knows that for sure. He said he will look at the tape to see whether he was off mechanically.

"I will go back and look at it, but missing field goals that short, you have to correct a few things."

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard