The Steelers worked out other options during the week, but they wound up sticking with Chris Boswell after two missed field goals in Week 14 and a season filled with shaky performances.
Sticking with Boswell looked like it might prove to be the wrong choice in the second half of Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Boswell had a chance to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 10 points, but missed badly from 32 yards in the third quarter.
Boswell got another chance late in the fourth and came through for a 48-yard make that put the Steelers up 17-10 with 2:30 left to play. The defense held the Patriots out of the end zone to seal the win and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin gave the kicker a vote of confidence when all was said and done.
“He’s our kicker from start to finish and I liked the way he came back and banged that next opportunity, and that is what this thing [football] is about,” Tomlin said, via ESPN.com. “You are going to be tested, we are going to be tested, sometimes you are going to fail but you better pass enough of them.”
Boswell said “nothing is forgiven” after the game and it won’t take more than another miss or two for the calls to replace him to kick up again. The late make means that other issues will be on the front burner in Pittsburgh this week.