Patriots
“You’ve received to have numerous confidence in him, and I do have numerous confidence. It did not waver.”
The Patriots left the sector at Arduous Rock Stadium with a hard-fought 33-27 win on Sunday afternoon.
However, even with Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense righting the ship with a dominant efficiency in South Florida in opposition to the Dolphins, New England is getting into Week 3 in opposition to the Steelers with loads of query marks in place.
Quite a lot of that concern revolves round a Patriots defensive unit that has surrendered 300-plus passing yards in back-to-back video games in opposition to the Raiders and Dolphins. However, a few of that unsettled sentiment can be rooted within the play of rookie kicker Andy Borregales.
The primary kicker chosen within the 2025 NFL Draft (sixth spherical, No. 182 total), Borregales hasn’t precisely impressed numerous confidence in his sport within the professional ranks.
After lacking a 40-yard discipline aim throughout New England’s Week 1 loss to Las Vegas, Borregales had a roller-coaster outing in opposition to the Dolphins.
Whereas Maye and the Patriots’ offense began off sturdy with two touchdowns on their first two drives in opposition to Miami, the crew solely held a 12-0 lead after Borregales missed each extra-point alternatives.
Borregales bounced again as the sport went on, nevertheless.
The kicker out of the College of Miami shook off his early struggles by hitting a 22-yard chip shot for 3 factors at 1:56 of the second quarter — whereas additionally changing on the additional level following Antonio Gibson’s 90-yard kickoff return for a landing within the fourth.
Borregales saved his greatest for final, changing on a 53-yard discipline aim with simply 1:51 left within the sport to present New England a 33-27 lead that it could not relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon.
However ,as evidenced by Borregales then incurring a penalty by delivering a kick that didn’t attain the touchdown zone on the very subsequent play, the rookie is more likely to see some rising pains this fall.
Regardless of his inconsistent efficiency thus far this season, Borregales obtained some phrases of encouragement from Mike Vrabel after Sunday’s win — particularly when it got here to bouncing again with that fourth-quarter kick from distance.
“You’ve received to have numerous confidence in him, and I do have numerous confidence,” Vrabel stated of Borregales. “It didn’t waver. I used to be going to attempt to go for the fourth-and-5 to attempt to get it there. Then, once we received backed up, I instantly simply kicked the sector aim. I’m blissful for Andy. That’s why he’s right here. I believed after the primary two he actually settled down, and that’s what we’ll must have.”
Borregales — who’s 4-of-5 on the field-goal makes an attempt and 2-for-4 on extra-point alternatives thus far this season — appreciated the backing of his head coach following the win, whereas additionally stressing that he should enhance.
“I’m at all times prepared for any alternative,” Borregales told MassLive’s Mark Daniels after the game. “Clearly, with the boldness that Vrabel has in me, placing me on the market, I went on the market and did my job. Every time I get on the market, I’ve to do my job. … “I maintain myself to a excessive normal. I’ve to be higher.”
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