Now that the Patriots appear to have found their stride this season, even with a depleted offense and an inconsistent defensive effort, who they face next on their schedule is less of a concern than it was at the start of the year.
That doesn't mean they won't hope for a little help against tougher opponents, like in their upcoming game against the Packers, who are coming off a Week 8 win over the Panthers that was probably much closer than they anticipated.
Part of that was due to their rookie kicker, Trey Smack, who has had a less-than-ideal first season in the NFL and whose performance has cost them at least one win so far.
Unfortunately, that game was against one of their biggest divisional rivals, the Lions, with Smack missing two field goals, the first from 26 yards and the other from 35 yards, which would have put them in the lead before the Lions got the ball back to win the game.
That's the kind of missed opportunity the Patriots could benefit from in this week's game, and should make them hope the Packers don't make the decision to cut Smack before Sunday.
Trey Smack's rough rookie season could help the Patriots get another win in Week 9
In eight games this season, Smack has missed a league-high 8 kicks, five of which are field goals.
Even worse, 2 of them are under 40 yards, which would typically be a chip shot for any kicker, and he's added three missed extra points on top of that. That's the kind of performance that can dictate a win or a loss for a team, which has happened for the Packers already, and is something the Patriots can try to exploit on Sunday.
Whether by bringing more pressure during field goal attempts and extra points or by capitalizing on a missed kick, they can easily gain an advantage if Smack's struggles continue in Foxboro.
Considering how many players are injured at this stage of the season for the Patriots, any small advantage is something they can't overlook. The Packers will be tough to beat, even at home, and while they shouldn't rely on Smack missing any kicks, they can certainly try to help it happen.
It will take a strong showing from the special teams, which shouldn't be a problem with the group the Patriots have. But it will take extra effort, and hopefully, they'll be locked in to do that.
Heading into their international game against the Lions with a 6-3 record would be massive for a team that started 1-3, so a win over the Packers is almost a must-have. And if they can achieve that by disrupting a player who's already struggling, then so be it.
A win is a win, after all.
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