There’s a reason why New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick believes that K Stephen Gostkowski is one of the ten most important players on the roster. Other than Tom Brady, no other player on the roster has so much pressure on their shoulders every time they take the field, and Gostkowski faces arguably greater scrutiny than Brady.
Either Gostkowski makes the kick, or he does not. He’s either “back” or he’s still in a funk. There’s nothing in between. And while Brady’s afforded a ugly Kansas City Chiefs-level performance every now and then, fans grew accustomed to Gostkowski being automatic, which makes his subsequent misses even more egregious.