Despite two crucial missed field goals in a tough 23-20 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, New York Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer remains confident in kicker Greg Zuerlein.
“The more I’m around Greg since he’s been here, there’s not a guy that cares more,” Boyer said. “There’s not a guy that takes more pride in his job than that guy.
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“He knows he has to make those kicks at the end of the day. It’s on us as a group; we got to do more as a unit to come through in those times. To be honest with you, I have not lost faith in Greg at all. If you look through his track record and his career and when he has struggled a little early, he has always dug himself out of it.
“Last year, he missed a kick or two early, and next thing you know, he reels off 20-something in a row. He has always found a way to dig himself out of the rut he is in.”
On Monday night, Zuerlein missed two pivotal field goal attempts during the second half of the Jets’ loss to the Bills. His first miss came with the game tied at 20 when a 32-yard attempt bounced off the upright.
In the fourth quarter, with the score still tied, the 13-year veteran missed a 43-yard attempt that also hit the upright. This miss allowed the Bills to regain possession, and Tyler Bass capitalized by drilling a 22-yard field goal that ultimately secured Buffalo’s victory.
This was not the first time Zuerlein has missed crucial kicks this season. In the Jets’ brutal 10-9 home loss against the Denver Broncos in Week 4, Zuerlein missed a 50-yarder with 51 seconds left that could have potentially won the game for the Jets.
While Boyer still has faith in Zuerlein, the Jets worked out three kickers this week: Cade York, Riley Patterson, and Matt Coghlin.
Zuerlein and the Jets aim to overcome their struggles this Sunday as they head to Pittsburgh to face the 4-2 Steelers under the lights of Sunday Night Football.
