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Stephen Gostkowski Puts Struggles Behind Him With Perfect Day Against Bills

BOSTON (CBS) -- Stephen Gostkowski's struggles in 2016 have been well-documented and uncharacteristic for the typically ultra-reliable Patriots kicker. As for pinpointing the reasons why Gostkowski has missed an unusual amount of kicks this season, Bill Belichick acknowledged that the kicking game is more complex than it looks, while Gostkowski himself simply said, "I stink right now ... that's just the bottom line."

You can point to any kind of physical or mechanical factor you want, but ultimately, kicking is a mental game. There have been countless kickers in NFL history who miss a big field goal and struggle to recover from it. Gostkowski looked like he was on his way to such a spiral, but rebounded in a big way on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills with a perfect afternoon.

Gostkowski finished 5-for-5 kicking extra points while going 2-for-2 on field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder to close out the first half and put the Patriots up 24-10. The kick initially looked shaky but ultimately sliced through the swirling Buffalo winds, clanked off the uprights and bounced through the goalposts.

Gostkowski's big second-quarter field goal may have been just what he needed to put his early-season struggles in the past.

"I'm always working to do my best, and nice to contribute to a win ... It was nice to have a clean game," said Gostkowski.

Belichick gave Gostkowski credit for his mental toughness and said there's "no one" he'd rather have kicking field goals for the Patriots.

The 51-yarder may not have looked perfect, but considering the distance, weather, and prior struggles, the kick (and the whole game) was a nice rebound for Gostkowski. Hopefully, for the Patriots' sake, this is the start of another perfect streak for No. 3.

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