What happened: Mike Vrabel said New England's special teams took a step back in its latest outing. He contrasted it with what he called a strong performance against the New York Jets.

Why it matters: Field-position swings put added pressure on offense and defense. Sustaining the Jets-level execution decides whether the kicking game helps or hurts New England.

What to watch: The next test is whether coverage and return units rebound in practice and the next game.