How Did The New England Patriots React To Win Over Giants?

Nov 15, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the New York Giants during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Gostkowski

Q: What was going through your head when the Giants called a timeout?

A: You’ve got to expect it. I have one job to do and if I let anything get me off focus, I have a good chance of missing the kick. I think me, Joe [Cardona] and Ryan [Allen] just felt eerily calm out there. Me and Ryan were looking at each other smiling on the sidelines. It just felt like I was going to get that opportunity. I think it’s a little easier thinking that you’re going to get it and going out there and getting it is a lot easier. I go out there and attack every kick to try and make it. I don’t worry too much about results. Obviously, if I would have missed that kick, we would have lost. That’s the name of the game. It’s fun to be in those situations. They don’t come up very often, especially long kicks like that. It’s all about the team here though. [Danny] Amendola’s punt return, Tom [Brady] getting us into field goal range. Joe snapping. Ryan holding. The guys blocking. It’s fun and we all get to celebrate together as a team. That’s what they preach, that’s what we do around here. It’s fun, especially to beat a good team like the Giants on the road. We get to fly home happy.Read

Q: Outside of Super Bowl wins, where does this one rank?

A: We don’t rank wins. We’re 9-0. It was a fun game, don’t get me wrong. Obviously those guys have had our number. It counts as one win. We’re going to move forward and look forward to beating the Bills. Anytime you can beat a good team on the road and have the fans go home quiet, it’s a blast.Read

Q: Is there a feeling of inevitably at this point? Invincibility so to speak…

A: You’re one kick away from being public enemy number one. That’s why my job is very humbling. No matter how many kicks that I get, how many games that we win, I’m always going to try and stay humble and have humility because you’re one play away from being trending on Twitter as the number one loser in America. I just try to go out there, have fun and do my job. It’s fun to be on a good team. When everyone else around you is doing well, it’s kind of like being on a baseball team where everyone is getting a hit and you want your opportunity to get up there because you feel like you’re going to get a hit, too. It was a fun game. I still have to go out and make a lot of kicks the rest of the year.

Q: That kick made you the all-time record holder for field goals as a Patriot. Any thoughts now in retrospect?

A: Already?

Q: Do you subscribe much to the icing the kicker approach?

A: I mean, we practice it every week when we get into two-minute situations. Sometimes they will call a timeout, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes we’re taught to snap and kick it anyways. I didn’t feel like I wanted a free kick, I felt good to go. I was ready to go. Whether they call a timeout or not, I’m still going to have to go out and make the kick. Thankful we had a smooth operation. Joe and Ryan did a heck of a job and it was just a clean kick. I hit it pretty good, it’s just fun. We celebrated in the middle of the field and it was a blast.

Q: How are you keeping your focus while the drive is happening?

A: I look forward to the opportunity. I think if you’re shying away from the opportunity, you have a good chance of going out there and second-guessing yourself. I sing a song in my head.

Q: What song?

A: I keep that between me and the song. I sing a song in my head to distract everything else. It’s cool. The noise, them yelling, it’s fun. I just try and get in ultra-focus zone. There are times where you’re in the zone and everything moves in slow motion and there’s sometimes when everything goes really fast and you have to slow yourself down. All I really think about is don’t try to kick the ball too hard, because a lot of the times when I missed kicks, it was because I tried to kill it. I just try to think of a smooth swing, thoughts of just being slow and under control, going out there and making the kick.

Q: What sense did you have about your range going in that direction?

A: The ball definitely carried better that way. It was a pretty calm day for this time of year, especially in the Northeast. It was a good night to kick.

Q: Did you think on the sideline that you might not have a chance when Beckham caught that ball at first?

A: I try not to follow the game too much. They’re not going to be asking my advice for any play calling any time soon. I just try to focus. When they got the ball back when we threw that interception, I started warming up because if they go down there and make a field goal, I’ve got to be ready to go. That’s when I kind of turned it on to try and get ready and get prepared in my mind that I have to go. I think if you wait until the last minute, it can sneak up on you really fast. I told Ryan we’re going to get a game-winner, you guys be ready. He made me look smart. Tom got us in range, guys made a lot of good catches.

Q: Is it the same song every time?

A: You guys can guess. I will leave it a mystery.

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