Colts Work Out Left-Footed Punter Brock Miller Ahead of Bills Matchup on Sunday

According to NFL Insider Aaron Wilson, the Indianapolis Colts worked out punter Brock Miller ahead of their upcoming matchup against the Buffalo Bills this weekend:

There isn’t a punting controversy in Indianapolis, as this season’s 2x AFC ‘Special Teams Player of the Week’, Rigoberto Sanchez, is firmly entrenched as the team’s punter.

However, Miller punts left footed, and the Colts happen to face Buffalo Bills’ punter Matt Haack, who also happens to punt, you guessed it, left footed.

Given that a football can appear a bit unorthodox coming off a punter’s left foot, the Colts are likely just giving standout punt returner Nyheim Hines some additional looks to get more comfortable with the seemingly unusual spin:

“The simple answer is that left-footed punts spin the opposite direction, counterclockwise (from the punter’s perspective), presenting an extra challenge for returners who are used to reading a right-footer’s spin. From the punt’s apex, a left-footed ball will fade to the returner’s right, whereas most returners are used to catching right-footed balls that fade to their left. That has the potential to cause a returner to hesitate or, even better for the punting team, to muff the catch. The search for answers usually ends there.”

Miller went undrafted in 2014 out of Southern Utah.

The well-traveled punter has spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, and even had a professional stint in the XFL.

Miller likely won’t be seeing the Colts active 53-man roster anytime soon, but it’s a savvy move for Indianapolis’ special teams success to bring him in ahead of a tough road game against the Buffalo Bills—where the team can’t afford self-inflicted mistakes.