Folk still has job, but others get a look

TAMPA — Nick Folk was still the Bucs place-kicker on Friday even as the team began arranging to work out players at that position next week.

Folk has missed seven kicks in four games — five field goals and two extra points. He missed all three kicks in Thursday night’s 19-14 loss to the Patriots.

Bucs players are off until Tuesday. Folk said prior to a special-teams meeting on Friday that he planned to take the weekend off to spend with family and not work on kicking.

“I’ll probably get away. Hang out with my wife and kids,’’ Folk said. “That’s all you can really do, you know? Have a weekend off. That’s all you can really do right now.’’

Folk said he was aware the Bucs were preparing to work out other kickers next week.

“It’s part of the business,’’ Folk said. “I’ve been through it many times. It’s just part of the business.’’

It was a rough week for Folk, who missed an extra point and two field goals before making the gamewinner on the final play against the New York Giants Sunday.

On Thursday night, he began by attempting a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the first half with the Bucs trailing 13-7. It would’ve matched his career-long but was wide right.

In the second half, Folk missed two more field goals in the fourth quarter. He was wide left from 49 yards and wide left again from 31 yards with 5:39 remaining in the game. Folk has been through slumps before in his 12-year career and said it’s not a secret how to correct them.

“Just go back out there and kick,’’ Folk said. “Get back out there and keep going. That’s all you can do. You know, have a couple days off and get away from things, which should be nice. And then get back out there.’’

Folk said he also will watch film of all his kicks from Thursday’s game at some point.

“Yeah, you have to at this level,’’ Folk said. “You have to be able to evaluate yourself, look at it and improve. Learn. See what went wrong, make the corrections and move forward.

“I haven’t looked at it yet. I went home, went to bed and hung out with my kids this morning. I haven’t had a chance yet.’’