FOXBORO -- For the second time in three years, the Patriots postseason went awry in part because of special teams.
Whether it was the failed extra point in the 2015 AFC title game in Denver or the shanked field goal in this past Super Bowl, kicker Stephen Gostkowski has been in the middle of that mess. So, you’d think perhaps the Pats would bring in some competition for the 34-year-old kicker. You’d be wrong. Instead, it’s incumbent punter Ryan Allen who’s facing the challenge from undrafted rookie Corey Bojorquez.
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Allen has been fairly steady for the better part of his five-year career in New England. Yes, his yards per punt have come down from a high of 46.4 in 2014 to a career-low of 43.4 this past season but he did manage to drop 24 of his 58 punts inside the 20-yard line, the second-highest percentage of his tenure. Couple that dependability with his job as full-time holder for Gostkowski, and Allen would seem to have the inside track on retaining his job.
However, Bojorquez has what appears to be a bionic leg. He has boomed punts with regularity both in the spring and in the first week of camp. He’s outdone Allen with both hang time and distance, but his problem has been both consistency - he’s had a couple of shanks - and sometimes he’s displayed too much leg, which would have resulted in touchbacks. If he can find a more even approach, the New Mexico product might just unseat the vet. Bojorquez will also have to prove he can hold kicks as well as Allen has. That will certainly play a role in the final decision.
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