In the dimly lit indoor field at the Rooney Complex, Chris Boswell worked alone on Monday. No holder. No snapper. Just the kicker and his thoughts.
Again and again, as Jordan Berry told the tale for DKPittsburghSports.com Wednesday morning, Boswell pounded balls into the net in one end zone. Not coincidentally, he was kicking from 42 yards out, the same distance he missed from with 1:47 remaining in overtime of last week's 21-21 tie at Cleveland.
What must have been going through Boswell's mind? He was probably replaying this:
To be sure, the weather conditions were less than ideal. The Factory of Sadness had become a swamp between the hashes, making footing difficult. The 15-ounce ball felt heavier in the rain. Kameron Canaday's snap was a little high, but Jordan Berry handled it easily.
All things considered, the operation was as good as could have been hoped for. The ball even felt true coming off his foot. Boswell says he just hooked it wide left. Stuff happens.
"I've kicked in rain before. I've kicked in snow. Made kicks and all that," Boswell told me on Wednesday. "It's just a matter of me putting the ball through the pipes, and I didn't."
It was not the first time he has missed and, assuredly, it won't be his last. In addition to a powerful right leg, Boswell has a short memory. In his profession, he says he has to.
"Can't get too high on yourself, can't get too low on yourself," Boswell said. "Misses happen; mistakes are always made. It's kind of the ups and downs of a football season. Just got to minimize them as much as you can."
Still, this was the first time that Boswell had missed a field goal since Nov. 12 in Indianapolis. Then, it was a 37-yarder in the climate-controlled Lucas Oil Stadium. At least in that game, he would later get his chance at redemption, connecting on a 33-yard try as time expired to give the Steelers the win.
On Sunday and Monday, all he could do was stew.
When the game is on the line, Boswell wants the ball on his foot. He converted 35-of-38 attempts last season, including three game-winners in the final minute.
"It was a tough one," Boswell said. "The first one that I've been on this side of it since I've been here (or) in college. It's just something I have to get back to work at and fix this week. Fix it for the rest of the career, hopefully."
The Steelers should hope he gets it fixed. After last season's 92.1 conversion rate (94.9 on extra points) earned him Pro Bowl honors, they invested heavily in the 27-year-old Texan.
Sunday's miss was the first pressure situation he has faced since earning a lucrative, four-year, $19.72 million contract extension last month.
"I don't think a contract changes how you kick a football," Boswell said.
Monday's solo session was just a start. It's Boswell's way of putting Sunday's miss behind him, according to Berry. The punter has full confidence his fellow specialist will rebound. It's what he does. In 2016, Boswell had a stretch where he connected on just seven of 10 field goal attempts and bounced back.
"He hasn't really had many misses in his career, and that's partly why: He doesn't let stuff like that get in his head," Berry said. "Don't really see it happening again this week. Should be good to go this week."