CINCINNATI – Andy Borregales had a rough entry into the NFL.
The Patriots’ rookie missed the first goal attempt of his career in Week 1. In the next game, he missed two extra point attempts. The rough start was a troubling sign for a team hoping to stabilize its kicking position.
However, after the early miscues, Borregales has rebounded. On Sunday, the Patriots’ kicker stepped up big time in the team’s win, making four field goals and two extra points.
“Looking back, you know, I went through a lot,” Borregales said. “There’s a lot of learning curves that I had to go through, and I wouldn’t change anything about it. At the end of the day, just letting God take control and follow his plan.”
After the missed field goal against Las Vegas, Borregales has been one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL. He made 11 straight field goal attempts between Week 2 and Week 9. He missed his first kick since that opening day miss in Week 11 against New York,
After Sunday’s performance in Cincinnati, Borregales has made 90.5% of his field goal attempts. That’s tied for the 12th-best field goal percentage in the NFL.
The rookie said he needed to adjust to several things after making his debut.
“Just the speed of the game and kind of just trusting myself, trusting the reason why in the NFL now, and really just again, just trusting the Lord,” Borregales said. “Definitely two first two weeks, it was definitely an eye opener. After that, it’s just kind of get my head down to work.”
On Sunday, the Patriots found themselves in a sloppy game against the Bengals. The offense failed to punch the ball in from the goal line twice, and Cincinnati’s offense wouldn’t go away quietly.
That’s why the team needed Borregales.
That’s when he showed everyone why the Patriots made him the first kicker drafted last April. Borregales hit a 41-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter and then made all three attempts from 45, 19, and then 52 yards in the second half.
That 52-yard field goal with 1:51 remaining meant the Bengals needed a touchdown to win. Cincinnati was able to get into field goal range on their final drive, but due to Borregales, their comeback effort felt short.
The kicker said his teammates never stopped believing in him, and that helped him get over his early struggles.
“The confidence from everyone around me definitely helps,” Borregales said. “And just at the end of the day, I really do it for them.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.