Andy Borregales took a hit to his stat line in Miami, but not to his standing with the New England Patriots.
The second-year kicker missed a field goal in the second quarter of New England’s 24-19 win over the Dolphins, and it was his third miss from 40 yards or less this season. Borregales is 10-for-13 on field goals in 2026, with every miss coming on short tries. The latest one sailed right and left the Patriots stuck at 6-3 before Miami stretched that advantage to 13-3 by halftime.
Even with that blemish, Mike Vrabel didn’t sound like a coach preparing to make a move at kicker when he addressed the issue Monday.
"That needs to get corrected. I've got a lot of confidence in Andy," Vrabel said.
"I think when you see the timing and when the approach is in rhythm, it looks really good. We have to make our kicks.
Everybody has a job here."
Vrabel’s comments suggest Borregales’ job is not in immediate danger, even as other teams around the league have made changes at kicker after a rough stretch. The Los Angeles Rams cut Harrison Mevis after a shaky primetime game against the Buffalo Bills a few weeks ago, and the Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to the practice squad just a week ago after a few Harrison Butker misses.
Borregales, a sixth-round pick a year ago, still brings plenty of power to the position. He has reached 50 yards on a field goal, and his career numbers remain solid: 82.2% on field goals and 96.1% on extra points.
Against Miami, he did plenty right, too. He opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal, made all three of his extra points, and even came up with a tackle on Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright during a kickoff return that may have prevented a touchdown.
For now, New England’s special teams unit of Borregales, punter Mitch Wishnowsky and long snapper Julian Ashby remains intact. Vrabel, though, made it clear he wants cleaner kicking going forward.
"There's no real message. It's, 'Hey, we've got to make them,'" Vrabel said about his message to Borregales.
"But I've got a lot of confidence. I thought he did a really nice job on the kickoff with the ball placement.
Hopefully, he's making a lot of extra points and not having to kick a lot of field goals."
In Other News...
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The Patriots tight end room suddenly looks a lot thinner after Hunter Henry went down with a foot injury in the Dolphins game and was ruled out after trying to shake it off. For a team already trying to piece together answers on offense, losing one of its most reliable pass-catching options has a way of exposing just how fragile the depth chart really is.
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, New England may have to decide whether this is a short-term hiccup or a problem worth solving externally. One name that naturally fits the conversation is Dallas Goedert, a proven veteran who could help stabilize the position if the Patriots choose to be aggressive, but for now the bigger question is whether the front office believes the current roster can hold up long enough to avoid making that kind of move. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Kicking Situation Just Got More Uncomfortable For Andy Borregales
Andy Borregales latest miss came at a time when every kick feels a little heavier. In the second quarter against the Dolphins, the Patriots rookie sent a 40-yard field goal attempt wide, adding another uneasy moment to a season that has already featured more than a few for the young kicker. Through eight games, Borregales has hit 10 of 13 attempts, a mark that leaves the Patriots with a kicking operation that has been productive enough to survive, but not steady enough to feel settled.
Mike Vrabel still voiced confidence in Borregales afterward, which matters because the Patriots are trying to manage several moving parts at once, including injury updates and possible returns elsewhere on the roster. Even so, the kicking spot remains one of the more uncomfortable questions around the team right now, and the next stretch of games will go a long way toward showing whether Borregales can quiet the noise or keep inviting it. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Survive Officiating Mess Against Miami, But NFL Still Owes Answers
The Patriots left Miami with a win, but the conversation afterward was about the officiating as much as the result. A touchdown by Kyle Williams was first ruled incomplete before Mike Vrabel won the challenge, and the sequence only added to the sense that this game was handled unevenly from the start. The league had already made a last-minute switch in the officiating assignment, a rare wrinkle that raised eyebrows before kickoff.
What has kept the issue alive is the lack of a real explanation from the NFL. The crew change was reportedly tied to poor work in another game, yet the league has not clearly addressed why that swap was made or why several of the calls in this matchup became so contentious. For New England, the points still counted and the victory still stands, but the questions around how the game was managed are not going away soon. [Read more 🡒]