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Patriots Notebook: Folk comes through in clutch again

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Nov 30, 2020

New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk celebrates his game-winning field goal with lineman Joe Thuney, left, and holder Jake Bailey, rear, as time expires in Sunday's 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium (AP photo).

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – He’s a hero once again.

For the second time this month, New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk booted the Patriots to victory with a game-winning field goal on the final play.

He did it vs. the New York Jets three weeks ago with a 51-yard boot in the Meadowlands, and Sunday Folk’s 50-yarder as time ran out gave the Patriots a 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

“To get a win in this league is tough to come by,” Folk said. “So, everyone’s excited all the way top down. But I’ve said it before, I just put the cherry on top…It was an all-around team win today. Exciting part, but I just happened to have the last touch of it.”

Folk said he could probably could have pushed the distance a little bit more if needed. He’s on a hot streak, having booted 19 straight, tying the second longest streak of his career.

“I could have probably stretched it out and try to, if you want to put it in golf terms, hit a little bit of a driver-three wood ball if I needed to,” he said.

Folk said mentally he just tries to forget about the enormity of the situation.

“Mentally I try to tell myself I’ve done it a million times,” he said. “It’s one more kick. It’s the same thing over and over and over. That’s kind of the position we’re in.”

He said he wants to use the pressure to his advantage. “I want to use it, I don’t want to like kind of shun it away,” he said. “I enjoy that. It was fun. So, I’m just happy we got a win.”

As Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, “Nick came through again.”

REFEREE’S BLIND SIDE COMMENT

One of the more controversial plays in Sunday’s win – there were a few – came on a blind side block call against Patriot Anfernee Jennings, negating a punt return for touchdown by Gunner Olszewski. He still got credit for a 58-yard return but the Patriots had to settle for a field goal.

“It was a block back towards his own end line, with forceable contact,” referee Bill Vinovich told pool reporter Mike Reiss of ESPN. “He would either have to shield him or use his hands.”

“Blind side block,” was what Belichick said the officials told him.

MURRAY KEPT IN CHECK

Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray said the Patriots had a good game plan for him, as he was only able to rush for 31 yards.

“I think they were just, you know, whenever, obviously the zone read opportunities, they were just playing me,” he said. “Mde me hand it off. I mean, it is what it is. My read is to hand it off if they play me, and that’s what I had to do.”

Murray, who had shoulder issues during the week, said that had no impact on his decision making. “I mean, they hit me a couple times anyway, so I played with – like I said, I wasn’t going to play if I couldn’t be myself.”

As for the goal-line stand that stopped back Kenyan Drake on a fourth and 1 run right before the half, Murray wouldn’t dispute the play call. “I’m not going to speak on it too much,” he said, “but that’s an unfortunate turn of events. You know, obviously we get points right there, we put ourselves in a better situation.”

Like a 17-7 halftime lead.

PATS, CARDS INACTIVES

There were no surprises with the Patriots inactives as the list included quarterback Brian Hoyer, running back J.J. Taylor, receiver Isaiah Ford, and defensive linemen Byron Cowart and Tashawn Bower.

Out for the Cards – besides stellar receiver Larry Fitzgerald who tested positive for COVID-19 – were QB Brett Hundley, running back Eno Benjamin, safety Jalen Thompson, and offensive linemen Joshua Miles and Justin Murray.

FINAL NOTES

The win gave the Patriots their 30th win over an NFC team since Gillette Stadium opened in 2002, the most wins among all AFC teams at home against NFC teams…

Arizona was averaging 414.3 yards a game offensively coming in, but were held to just 298 net yards, the Cardinals’ second lowest output of the season…

The Patriots now have 17 rushing TDs on the season, and are on pace for 25, which would be tied for the second most in team history (they had 25 in 2012). The most is 30 way back in 1979….

Next up: At the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday at 4:25 p.m. The Patriots will likely stay out west as they then have the Rams at the same stadium the following Thursday, Dec. 10.

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