Mike Vrabel's vote of confidence in Andy Borregales feels less like unwavering support and more like a coach running out of patience. A 40-yard miss in a win over Miami is bad. A third miss from inside 50 yards through eight games is worse. At 10-of-13 on field goals, Borregales isn't catastrophically broken—but he's not dependable either, especially in close games where three points can swing everything.
Here's the reality: special teams aren't supposed to be a draft capital question. They're the easiest position to upgrade if things go sideways. Vrabel saying "that needs to get corrected" with a soft endorsement attached is coach-speak for "I'm watching closely." Second-year kickers sometimes turn it around. They also sometimes don't. The Patriots have enough offensive firepower with talent like A.J. Brown and the rest of the receiving corps that they shouldn't need to sweat whether their kicker can make makeable attempts. That's supposed to be automatic.
The extra point conversion rate—20-of-21—suggests Borregales has the leg. It's consistency and clutch execution that's flickering. Week 8 against a divisional opponent is exactly when you need your kicker locked in, not shaky. Vrabel's got legitimate reasons to stay measured; you don't panic after one game. But the pattern is already emerging. Three misses from inside 50 yards isn't random variance—it's a trend.
The Patriots are 4-4, still in the playoff hunt in the AFC East. Games are going to come down to field goals. If Borregales doesn't "get it corrected," as Vrabel put it, this team's October and November could hinge on a decision Eliot Wolf and the front office have to make sooner rather than later. For now, Vrabel's got his guy. Just don't expect that confidence to extend much further if the misses keep coming.