Expect to hear a lot about the job security of Stephen Gostkowski this week.
When you win the first two games by a combined 78-3, people are going to want to talk about something besides Antonio Brown's off-field drama.
Welcome to the spotlight, SG.
Gostkowski, the Patriots' 35-year-old kicker in his 14th season, was thrust into the broiler when he missed a 48-yard field goal, and two extra points.
In his career, Gostkowski only missed seven extra points entering the game, with five coming last season (27 of 32). Gostkowski had never missed more than one extra point in a game before Sunday.
"I stunk today," Gostkowski told reporters.
The various iterations of the former Pro Player Stadium have not been kind to Gostkowski, who has now missed at least one kick in three straight games dating to the Super Bowl, over the years.
He missed a field goal and an extra point last year, which cost the Patriots a win in their one-point loss.
Gostkowski also missed an extra point in '16 and field goals in '15, '13, '12 and '11 visits to Miami Gardens.
You could just dismiss this as bad luck in one place, but then you remember that Super Bowl LIV will be held in Hard Rock Stadium on Feb. 2.
What's the deal, and are there any options on the open market if the Patriots have a mind to replace Gostkowski, or at least try out out some competition?
The holds, by rookie punter Jake Bailey, were decent. The hold on the field goal looked a little strange as Bailey had his off hand in front of the ball at one point. Gostkowski pushed it right. The first extra point missed looked like an overcorrection. The last one was a low snap by Joe Cardona, but Bailey did fine getting the ball down.
Not every snap and hold is going to be perfect. That's why Gostkowski has a cap number over $3 million this season. He's signed through next season, when his cap number balloons to $5.45 million.
While Ryan Allen had a great Super Bowl and cost much less than Gostkowski, he received competition this year in Bailey — and that competition appears to have made the Patriots better. Gostkowski has never had competition in camp during his career.
Could he get it now? Belichick's certainly not going to panic with Gostkowski and it's doubtful he'll bring in competition. But it wouldn't hurt anyone — unless they think Gostkowski can't mentally stand the idea of competition — to bring in kickers for free-agent tryouts on Tuesday and see what's out there.
Among those available — and someone is likely to be signed by the Colts if Adam Vinatieri elects to retire, which he hinted at after missing two more extra points on Sunday — on top of the two missed extra points and field goal he had in Week 1:
- Kai Forbath, 32, hasn't kicked in 16 games since 2017 when he made 32 of 38 field goals with the Vikings with three missed coming from 50+. He also missed five extra points. Forbath appeared in three games for the Jaguars last season and was 4 of 5 on field goals (lone miss at 50+) and was 3 of 3 on extra points.
- Giorgio Tavecchio, 29, kicked for the Raiders in 2017 and spent three games with the Falcons last season. He is 21-of-26 on field goals and 41-of-42 on extra points for his career. He booted a career-long 56-yarder in a win over the Giants last season.
- Elliott Fry, 24, went 14-of-14 for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football. Fry was 3-of-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points with the Bears and Ravens this preseason.
- Younghoe Koo, 25, kicked the first four games for the Chargers last season and was released after he went 3 of 6 on field goals. But he did make all nine extra points.
- Tristan Vizcaino, 23, lost a camp battle with the Bengals against Randy Bullock. The underdog hit a 57-yard field goal in Cincinnati's second preseason game while also converting attempts from 47, 38 and 22 yards out. He was 5 for 5 on extra points.
- Greg Joseph was 17 of 20 on field goals but 25 of 29 on extra points in Cleveland last season.