Tag: Nick Folk

What Patriots are saying about winning AFC East title

“A lot of hard work goes into that. But at the same time we understand we are not where we want to be at.”

The New England Patriots clinched an AFC East title for the 11th consecutive year. It has become routine for New England.

This season, the Buffalo Bills (10-5) didn’t make it easy on the Patriots (12-3). A Bills’ win on Saturday could have kept Buffalo in the race for the divisional title. Instead, the Patriots put together a 24-17 win over the Bills. The win also showed a level of competency which New England hasn’t displayed to this point. They were 0-3 against the AFC teams currently slated to make the playoffs, with losses to the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Against the Bills’ impressive defense, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense put together their most impressive performance yet. Though the defense wasn’t perfect, they put together a solid drive in the final moments of the game, with a turnover on downs to end the Bills’ chances of a win.

QB Tom Brady

“I think it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty cool. It’s hard to do, and it’s a lot of effort, a lot of hard work, and a lot of people are just putting – day-after-day, just coming in, and sitting in these chairs and trying to do what’s right for the team. So, it’s a great reward. It’s a great step for us, and it’s great to control the ability to that, too. So, to win and know that you win the division is pretty cool. So, happy for us, happy for our team, and our coaches, and our families and our fans. And hopefully we can build on it and go play great next week.”

Coach Bill Belichick

On his divisional title hat: “Good. It’s great. Love wearing this hat.”

CB Stephon Gilmore

“It feels great. We did it on offense, defense and special teams. It wasn’t easy and it was a great win. It’s great to win the division.”

WR Matthew Slater

“You’re happy to see guys that haven’t been able to [win] in this league yet, get a taste of winning. That’s why you play, you play to win. Everybody has been brought here because Coach Belichick thinks that they can help this football team win. It’s good to see guys have success and it’s good to see the team have success.”

RB Rex Burkhead

“It does feel good. A lot of hard work goes into that. But at the same time we understand we are not where we want to be at. We got a lot more football left to be played and we just have to continue to improve and get better every day.”

WR Julian Edelman

“It means a lot. It’s one of the first goals that you set early in the spring. When you’re forming your team, you want to go out and win your division. It was good to go out here and get one.”

Kicker Nick Folk

“It has been a while since I’ve been a division champ. I was a NFC East division champ twice in Dallas, that was a long time ago, 10-plus years. So it feels good.”

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5 interesting stats from the Jets’ Week 14 win over Dolphins

Here are five interesting stats from the Jets’ Week 14 win over the Miami Dolphins.

The Jets avoided the season sweep of the Dolphins with a 22-21 win Sunday, courtesy of Sam Ficken game-winning, 44-yard field goal.

The Jets looked as if they were going to have an easy victory on their hands when they jumped out to an early 10-point lead, but the offense went stagnant after the first quarter. However, the defense held its own by not allowing a single Miami touchdown, while the offense put together a solid final drive in order to secure the victory.

Even with the win, the Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the Titans and Steelers both winning their games on Sunday.

Let’s take a look at some interesting stats from Gang Green’s win.

Ficken’s walkoff longest in franchise history

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Ficken lifted the Jets to victory with a 44-yard field as time expired. It was the 23rd walkoff field goal by a Jets kicker with no time left on the clock or in overtime. It was also the longest walkoff in franchise history by a Jets kicker. The previous long was held by both Mike Nugent and Nick Folk at 43 yards.

For Ficken, it was the best moment of his pro career and a day he’ll remember forever.

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What Bill Belichick wouldn’t say in Week 14 in preparation for Chiefs

Answering the tough questions Bill Belichick wouldn’t answer.

Bill Belichick didn’t mind discussing Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and the Kansas City Chiefs’ explosive offense. Though he failed to address the fact that they’re not that explosive in recent weeks.

The New England Patriots coach is preparing for an AFC Championship Game rematch with Kansas City. And as usual, he was ready to praise his opponent. He also discussed the strong work from his receivers Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu.

But just like every week, there were topics Belichick avoided as best he could. He dodged topics like the Patriots’ decision to go without a kicker this week. And he didn’t field a question about the Tom Brady drama or the Antonio Brown apology.

Here’s what Bill Belichick wouldn’t say in Week 14.

1. What’s going on with your kicker situation? Can you announce that you’re re-signing Nick Folk?

What he said Friday: “Nope.”

What we think he’s thinking: The Patriots have clearly expected all week that Nick Folk would be returning to the team. He was dealing with appendicitis and missed last week’s game. Perhaps the timeline for his return hit a snag, because they won’t be adding Folk on Saturday. But they will add Folk despite spending the week without a kicker, according to NFL Network. It would have been a truly Belichickian oddity for the Patriots head into one of the biggest matchups of the season without a kicker. He probably would’ve enjoyed the challenge.

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Report: Patriots expected to re-sign kicker Nick Folk

The Patriots are expected to re-sign kicker Nick Folk ahead their Week 14 matchup against the Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport.

The New England Patriots are expected to re-sign kicker Nick Folk ahead their Week 14 matchup, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Folk missed Week 13 due to a an appendectomy, but he should be healthy now, according to Rapoport. In three games this year with the Patriots, Folk went 7-for-9 on field goal attempts and 3-for-3 on extra point attempts. The Patriots clearly trust him more than Mike Nugent and Kai Forbath — who they also had on the roster this season.

Ever since Stephen Gostkowski hit the injured reserve list earlier in the season, the Patriots have scrambled to solidify the position. They only have four games left in the season, so Folk is likely the best option that they’ll have going into the playoffs.

Rapoport quickly backtracked on this report, leaving the kicking situation still an uncertainty.

New England will host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday with hopes to stay on top in the AFC.

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Bill Belichick admits the Patriots’ kicker situation has been challenging

Bill Belichick has managed significant challenges at the kicker situation in 2019.

The New England Patriots’ have managed an irregular level of turnover at kicker in 2019, with Nick Folk getting cut on Friday after getting appendicitis.

In years past, coach Bill Belichick has enjoyed the luxury of having what he has previously called two of the best kickers in the history of the NFL: Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski. But that comfortable streak of talent at the position seems to have taken a pause.

The Patriots put Gostkowski on injured reserve earlier this season with a hip injury before signing kicker Mike Nugent to the active roster and Younghoe Koo to the practice squad. The Patriots released Koo after a week, and then parted ways with Nugent after four games when he hit 5 of 8 field goals and 15 of 16 extra points. That’s when they brought in Folk, whose stint in New England seemed to be going well — until he needed surgery on his appendix. The Patriots released him on Friday and signed Kai Forbath.

During a press conference, Belichick was asked whether the situation has been challenging for the Patriots.

“It has, but that’s — the other teams in the league have gone through and we’ve gone through it at the position,” Belichick said on Friday. “It’s not what you want. It’s not ideal, but we’ll keep going.”

Belichick wouldn’t say whether the Patriots will bring back Folk when he’s healthy enough to return from surgery. He had hit 7 of 9 field goal attempts with a long of 44 while completing all three of his extra point attempts. While Folk seemed like the reliable option the Patriots needed — even with an apparently limited range — New England will turn to Forbath, who they worked out earlier this season when Gostkowski went on IR.

Forbath played three games in 2019 with the Jaguars, where he was 4 of 5 on field goals and 3 of 3 on extra points. The Patriots will have to quickly acclimate to Forbath, who will have a different timing than Folk, which impacts his snapper and holder. Belichick will also have to adjust to Forbath’s range and comfort in inclement weather — that will inform the coach’s in-game decisions on fourth down. And they’ll have to do it quickly, with a game on Sunday night in Houston.

Report: Patriots to sign kicker Kai Forbath following Nick Folk injury

The Patriots are expected to sign former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Kai Forbath, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. 

The New England Patriots are expected to sign former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Kai Forbath, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

Forbath will be the fourth kicker for the Patriots this season, joining Stephen Gostkowski, Mike Nugent and Nick Folk. The Patriots had to quickly search for a kicker after losing Folk temporarily to an appendectomy surgery that was performed on Thursday morning. Folk’s recovery time is expected to be minimal, but he’ll likely miss New England’s Sunday night game against the Houston Texans.

Forbath, 32, has been in the NFL since 2012 and has played for four different teams. He kicked in three games for the Jaguars last season, but he was the Minnesota Vikings’ full-time kicker in 2017. He was 4-of-5 on field goal attempts for the Jaguars last season and 3-of-3 for point after attempts.

Gostkowski has been New England’s kicker since 2006 and he’s been extremely reliable, but he’s sitting the season out with a hip injury. The Patriots typically have reliability at the place kicker position, but it still remains a question mark heading into the postseason.

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Report: Patriots’ kicker Nick Folk undergoes appendectomy

The Patriots will have to use another kicker against the Texans after Nick Folk is out with an appendectomy.

The New England Patriots will be on their fourth kicker of the season, apparently, when they face the Houston Texans Sunday. Nick Folk has undergone an appendectomy and will be out at least a week or two.

This is amazing when you consider the Patriots basically had two kickers since Adam Vinatieri took over the job in 1996. Vinatieri kicked through 2005 and Steven Gostkowski took over the job and maintained it until being put on IR with a hip injury this season.

One option is punter Dan Bailey, who was a field goal kicker in high school at Santa Fe Christian in California, Bailey was 12-of-16 as a senior. The issue with that is Bailey has been the Patriots’ holder on field goals. Tom Brady or Jarrett Stidham could fill that role if Bailey becomes the Pats’ kicker.