Throughout the preseason, we’ll take a look at the best – and worst – the NFL has to offer, unit by unit. Look for a new set of rankings every few days.
Anyone think special teams aren’t important? How overlooked are special teams when media analyst are dissecting the ins and outs of NFL teams?
Having a good field goal kicker is one thing, but a team with a solid punter, return specialists and coverage units can greatly affect field position throughout the game and therefore have a huge impact on the final outcome.
Try telling a coach like Jim Fassel that having a good long snapper doesn’t mean much to a team – his 2002 New York Giants lost a Wild Card playoff game on a botched snap. To take that even one step further, having a solid holder can be a big deal.
Criteria for special teams units:
The criteria won’t be broken into percentages for the special teams units, because one position shouldn’t take precedent over another.
A team just can’t have a great place kicker. The punter, coverage units (including the gunners) as well as return specialists must all be taken into account.
The Top 10:
1. Buffalo Bills
When you take a deep look into the race for the top special teams units, nobody really comes close to the Bills. Ryan Lindell isn’t the best place kicker out there, but he’s above average and was 29 of 35 last year. Buffalo really separates themselves in the other categories. Pro Bowl punter Brian Moorman led the league with a 45.7 gross yards per punt last year and excels at directional punting. Terrence McGee has been the best kickoff return specialist in the league over the past two seasons, and Roscoe Parrish and Nate Clements are dangerous punt returners. Not too many people know that Mike Schneck is one of the best long snappers in the league.
2. New York Giants
Besides one atrocious game in Seattle, Jay Feely was money in 2005, connecting on an astonishing 35 of 42 field goals, including three of five from beyond 50 yards. The Giants’ return unit took two kickoffs back for touchdowns last season in the opener against Arizona. Willie Ponder and Chad Morton could take any kick to the house at any point during the game, and David Tyree is a fantastic all-around playmaker on special teams. Punter Jeff Feagles is starting to wind down, but his veteran experience is very dependable.
3. Cleveland Browns
The addition of punter Dave Zastudil solidifies the kicking game in Cleveland. The Browns get the best of both worlds in a potential star and a solid veteran on kick returns with Josh Cribbs and Dennis Northcutt. Place kicker Phil Dawson led the league in accuracy last year at 93.3 percent and just like the return men, the coverage units have a nice mix of veterans and youngsters to fill out a well-rounded squad.
4. Miami Dolphins
For more than a decade, the punt and kickoff coverage units for the Dolphins have been outstanding. Miami allowed opponents an average of only 4.9 yards per punt return in ’05 while punter Donnie Jones led the league in net average. Yeremiah Bell is the Dolphins’ best coverage man. Kicker Olindo Mare struggled with injuries in 2004, but bounced back nicely last season to go seven for eight from 40 yards and beyond.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
In a recent listing on SI.com of the most feared players in the NFL, Eagles coverage man Jason Short was listed at No. 9. A fearless player with no concern for his health or anyone else’s for that matter, Short is a maniac who will stop at nothing to make a tackle. Although he was hurt last season, David Akers is normally one of the best field goal kickers in the league and punter Dirk Johnson is underrated at his position. When healthy, Brian Westbrook is an outstanding returner, but because of Westbrook’s importance to the offense (not to mention his propensity for injury), Bruce Perry will probably resume his role as kick returner. Reno Mahe led the league in punt return average last year.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Kicker Shayne Graham is nearly automatic, having made 87.5 percent of his field goal attempts in three seasons with the Bengals. Cincinnati falls a bit with Kyle Larson as its punter – the coverage units usually make him look better than he really is. Tab Perry is a weapon as a returner and Antonio Chatman will also get a shot at returning kicks this year. Keiwan Ratliff’s longest punt return last year was 13 yards, so he must improve and stop calling so many fair catches.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
Punter Chris Gardocki lacks ideal leg strength, averaging just 41.8 yards per punt, but is solid as they come as a direction punter, nailing 22 punts inside the 20 last season. Jeff Reed is another guy who doesn’t have a real strong leg, but he’s excellent in the short-range department and scored 117 points last year. The loss of Antwaan Randle El will certainly hurt in the explosiveness department, but Ricardo Colclough is an up-and-comer with a solid average of 21.5 per kickoff return last year.
8. San Francisco 49ers
Kicker Joe Nedney was named the team’s co-MVP last season because he was so consistent on field goals and kickoffs for the 49ers. Punter Andy Lee is improving, but it isn’t an easy job trying to be a directional kicker in the winds of Candlestick. Here’s another mention for one of the best long snapper’s in the game – Brian Jennings is excellent. San Francisco hasn’t decided on a return man yet, but rookie Brandon Williams out of Wisconsin is an excellent candidate.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Josh Scobee has turned into a dependable kicker and recorded 20 touchbacks on kickoffs last season. Punter Chris Hanson dropped 33 punts inside the 20, the most in the NFL, and veteran Joe Zelenka is a reliable long snapper. Kickoff returner Derrick Wimbush finished with a 24.5-yard average, which was good for 10th in the NFL, and rookie Maurice Drew is likely to replace Alvin Pearman as the punter returner this year. Drew average 28.7 yards on 15 punt returns last year at UCLA.
10. Houston Texans
Losing Pro Bowl kick return Jerome Mathis for four games hurt the team last season, but when he played he was excellent. Mathis was the only returner to take two kicks back to pay dirt last season. Kris Brown struggled a bit, missing eight field goals, but he has also shown the ability to bounce back from terrible seasons (such as his first year in Pittsburgh). Punter Chad Stanley is solid and he has played very well thus far in his career with the Texans.
The Bottom Five:
28. Oakland Raiders
Shane Lechler remains one of the best punters in the league, but opponents averaged a league-best 15.9 yards per return last year against the Raiders. Sebastian Janikowski can be good if he ever decides he wants to be, but the return game is in flux this year after Chris Carr botched the job last season.
29. New England Patriots
The Patriots could be ranked higher toward the end of the year, but going into the season with a rookie kicker can be a bit unsettling. Fourth-round pick Stephen Gostkowski has a big leg and ousted his competition in preseason, but seeing as that competition was Martin Gramatica, the jury is still out. The Patriots also lost returner Tim Dwight, but Bethal Johnson will return and he averaged 22.4 yards per kick return last year. Punter Josh Miller is also coming off a good season, so once again, New England isn’t in terrible condition. Gostkowski just has to prove himself a bit.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The entire Tampa Bay special teams unit is average at best and virtually every player except for punter Josh Bidwell will have to fight for their job this year. Questions loom very large for this entire squad.
31. Green Bay Packers
Rookie Greg Jennings has to be better than the 13 total players the Packers tried out on kick returns last year. If he isn’t, expect Green Bay to be down here again next year. Charles Woodson is the team’s punt returner at the moment, but a strong showing against the Bengals in preseason has Jennings on the inside track for that job too. The Packers replaced kicker Ryan Longwell with David Rayner. Rayner didn’t exactly light the world on fire as a kickoff specialist in Indianapolis and now he gets to kick in the ever-changing weather of Lambeau Field. B.J. Sander gave the Packers terrible field position on more than several occasions last year and was recently cut, handing the job to Jon Ryan.
32. St. Louis Rams
Special teams units were never much of a concern for former head coach Mike Martz, so the new coaching regime in St. Louis will have a lot to work on this year. Save for kicker Jeff Wilkins, the special teams have become a major liability for the Rams over the years and punter Matt Turk missed the entire ’05 season with a groin injury. Turk hasn’t averaged more than 42 yards per punt since 2000. Unlike the Packers with Greg Jennings, the Rams don’t even have a solid returner at the moment unless Kevin Curtis steps up.
