Patriots Captain Has Overwhelming Praise For Key Rookie

Demario Douglas wasn’t the only Patriots rookie to enjoy a breakout game Sunday.

Chad Ryland, New England’s first-year kicker, also delivered the best performance of his young career against the Buffalo Bills, going a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks (three field goals, two extra points) as the Patriots won 29-25 at Gillette Stadium.

It was the kind of outing Ryland, the highest-drafted Patriots specialist of the Bill Belichick era, needed to prove his reliability. The fourth-round pick entered Sunday having converted just 5 of 9 field-goal attempts at the NFL level (55.6%), including 2 of 6 from 40-plus yards. Ryland’s veteran predecessor Nick Folk, meanwhile, remained perfect with the Tennessee Titans (16-for-16 on field goals, 8-for-8 on extra points).

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Sunday’s game earned Ryland a rave review from longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater, who lauded the 24-year-old’s ability to withstand the roller-coaster start to his career.

“Really, the first word that comes to my mind when I think of Chad is maturity,” Slater said Monday in a video conference. “I think he’s mature beyond his years. He’s been able to really do a good job of staying in the moment, keeping the main things the main things, staying positive, trusting his process and just remaining confident.

“Obviously, being a rookie specialist in this league is very tough. It’s probably one of the hardest things to do. And there’s going to be some ups and downs. That’s just part of the process. But I think he’s really handled those so well. His confidence has never wavered. His ability to prepare week in, week out and be ready to go, that has always been there, and it’s great to see that rewarded the way it was (Sunday).”

Ryland didn’t attempt any long-range kicks against Buffalo — his field goals were from 30, 24 and 49 yards — but heavy wind gusts upped the degree of difficulty. That was evident on one miss by Buffalo’s Tyler Bass that took a hard right turn on its way to the upright.

“Honestly, those were very tough conditions to kick in,” Slater said. “Very, very challenging. I thought all three of those kicks he hit were big-time kicks, and certainly, we needed all the points. But you’re really happy to see a young player who stays true to the process, doesn’t cheat the game and just has a great perspective not just on football, but on life.

“His perspective is one we all could learn from. It’s great to see a guy like that come through and have success, because he certainly has earned it.”

The Patriots also received a strong performance from their other rookie specialist, Bryce Baringer, who launched a 64-yard punt and booted another out of bounds at Buffalo’s 3-yard line. Rookie receiver Demario Douglas contributed in the kicking game, as well, ripping off a 25-yard punt return to set up Ryland’s second field goal.

“Across the board, it was probably one of the best, if not the best, outings we’ve had,” Slater said.