Tuesday's news that New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski would miss at least two games came as a real kick in the head, considering that the Patriots' next two games are against AFC powerhouses the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts.
So it's reassuring that the Patriots have acquired a serviceable veteran to fill in for those two games. The Patriots have signed journeyman placekicker Shayne Graham, the Boston Globe's Extra Points blog reports.
Placekicker news breaking on an Extra Points blog! How "meta" is that?
Graham was regarded highly enough by the Cincinnati Bengals that they made him their franchise player last season. But he became persona non Gramatica in Cincinnati after missing two field goals in January playoff loss to the Jets.
This is Graham's 11th season in the NFL, and the Patriots are his ninth team.
Graham has kicked successfully in the NFL this season. When the New York Giants lost Lawrence Tynes for one game, Graham stepped in and went 4-for-4 in the Giants' 28-20 win over Detroit.
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who never misses an NBC Connecticut Blood Drive because of the free juice boxes and cookies.
