Special Teams - Cover your eyes

[Fritz]

I wonder how much if any validity there is to the fear that a directional punter has a better chance of having his kicks blocked. It'd be interesting (but not interesting enough for me to do it) to look at coffin corner guys like Feagles and see how his # punts blocked numbers look compared to other guys.

In my opinion, most posters way overvalue the worth of the screaming, high-energy coach. How'd Buddy Ryan do as a head coach? However, I feel that special teams is the one area of the three that can benefit from a wild-n-crazy coach. The special teamers have to have that kamikaze, screw-it-if-I-get-killed attitude to get down the field and do the job. It's the one area I think an emotional coordinator-coach can work in.

I am afraid when I hear MM talk about how pleased he is with the special teams. I know it wouldn't help to throw Slocum under the bus, but MM seems especially firm in his praise. Me no like.

Funny that last year lots of us were saying that if the defense could become even average that this team would do pretty well. Turns out that was true, so I too agree that if the Packers' special teams were even average, this team could be a SB contender.

[mngolf19]

What stuns me about a lot of NFL special teams is that no one really tries for the coffin corner any more.

I know I'm dating myself, but I remember when Ray Guy made this an art form. The dude was money pinning others deep near their own endzone.

I scream at the tv every time I see an NFL or college punter take a punt from inside the opp 50 and put it into the endzone. I'm with you on that.

[Smidgeon]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Well, one of M2's biggest blemishes as GM was drafting a punter...

[Pugger]

The Packers have been attempting the 'coffin corner' of sorts on kickoffs.

Still, I don't know why anyone would think that a punter as lousy as Kapinos would be able to directionally kick. Who knows, maybe suckitude in hangtime and distance make you better at kicking on an angle, but I doubt it.

This is my theory. If your hangtime sucks and your distance sucks, can you please learn to kick the ball on an angle so it hits out of bounds after it's been in the air, say, 38 - 40 yards?

ST coaches hate punting the ball out of bounds. They feel the different trajectory is more prone to blocked kicks. They also all live in deadly fear of shanks. They (mistakenly IMHO) think a kick angled OB would be worse if you shank it. I think any shank is gonna suck, so why not try it from time to time?

This brings us to Stock and his illegitimate son, Slocum. It's obvious by now, Slocum didn't learn a lot at the feet of his master. We fired Stock's ass, why did we figure his asst was gonna be a world beater?

Stock was a total fool to cut Ryan so close to the start of the season. He should have scared the shit out of Ryan and got him kicking 'em the way he wanted. That, and he should have hired a kicking tutor to make sure he stayed with a two step punt. Ryan would revert to his old CFL 3 steppers and it drove Stock nuts. That's fine, but you don't run off a leg like his, you refine it.

Our cover guys are out of their lanes all the time and don't seem to have that 'ol kamikazee spirit you need to run cover. Bush got hit with a punt in the back last week, I think. That's at least half a dozen of those deals since he's been here. That's a guy who ain't too bright and isn't scared of losing his job. He should be.

This move by MM is the most puzzling to me along with MM keeping Campen around. Even tho punting has been a issue I think punt and kick coverage is the true problem here. We give up big returns and there is always laundry on the turf when we are receiving punts/kicks. It is a surprise where there isn't a penalty during these plays and that is just unacceptable. If we are one of the wild card teams our ST will be our Waterloo.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

If the fault is Slocums, please explain the career of Bobby April.

He's been ST coach of the year twice and coached ST for 3 NFL teams and has a ton of experience.

If MM would hire him, we could blame some other factor for shitty ST play?

Nope. Missed the point.

Please explain his tenure with the Rams vs. Buffalo.

[mraynrand]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

[Smidgeon]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Don't start.

[BallHawk]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Feel free to show be the part where I say "the biggest blemish" or "blemish bigger than Favre."

[Partial]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Pretty messed up, eh? That and keeping three fullbacks is another one in people's eyes. Fricking weird.

[KYPack]

If the fault is Slocums, please explain the career of Bobby April.

He's been ST coach of the year twice and coached ST for 3 NFL teams and has a ton of experience.

If MM would hire him, we could blame some other factor for shitty ST play?

Nope. Missed the point.

Please explain his tenure with the Rams vs. Buffalo.

OK Ty.

Yer the genius and I, the dullard.

Did see April get a little too involved last night.

He was coaching like a madman when he got knocked flat on his ass on the sidelines.

[woodbuck27]

I fed the net avg falling to Pelissero a few weeks back... no more goats I guess. Wish we had Ryan still.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PUNTING&season=2009&seasonType=REG

Today as punters in the NFL Jon Ryan (Seattle) is ranked 8th while Jeremy Kampinos (Green Bay) is ranked 24th.

The argument may be? That if Jon Ryan was still in Green Bay he'd be ranked about 24th. Jon Ryan is a maturing punter in the NFL and he came to the NFL with outstanding promise and results from the CFL.

[mraynrand]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Feel free to show be the part where I say "the biggest blemish" or "blemish bigger than Favre."

Forgive me, but I don't see the punter as being anywhere close to one of TT's biggest blemishes. I'm on record in saying that I thought TT made the right call in the Favre/Rodgers situation. It was time to move on, IMO. However, if Favre goes and wins it all for the Vikings, well, then we're pretty much wrong - in a spectacular way - in the short term.

That being said, there are plenty of other blunders that are much larger than the punter. Not to say I don't think a lot of TT. well above average in the draft, so-so in pro-player/FA. Just don't think cutting Ryan is "one of his biggest blemishes." Not by a long shot.

[Smidgeon]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Feel free to show be the part where I say "the biggest blemish" or "blemish bigger than Favre."

Forgive me, but I don't see the punter as being anywhere close to one of TT's biggest blemishes. I'm on record in saying that I thought TT made the right call in the Favre/Rodgers situation. It was time to move on, IMO. However, if Favre goes and wins it all for the Vikings, well, then we're pretty much wrong - in a spectacular way - in the short term.

That being said, there are plenty of other blunders that are much larger than the punter. Not to say I don't think a lot of TT. well above average in the draft, so-so in pro-player/FA. Just don't think cutting Ryan is "one of his biggest blemishes." Not by a long shot.

Speaking to the bolded portion: you can't even say that conclusively, and nobody can say that conclusively because there's no guarantee that BF would be playing this well in GB. Maybe it's the domes, maybe it was him skipping minicamp that's kept him fresher. Maybe it took a bad year on the Jets that gave him a "Eureka" moment when it came to how he needed to play to still be effective. Whatever. That part's irrelevant. What isn't irrelevant is that you're comparing an actual to one of the several hypotheticals. So your bolded statement is just an unconfirmable sensationalist judgement point. (You should be a journalist. )

[woodbuck27]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Feel free to show be the part where I say "the biggest blemish" or "blemish bigger than Favre."

Forgive me, but I don't see the punter as being anywhere close to one of TT's biggest blemishes. I'm on record in saying that I thought TT made the right call in the Favre/Rodgers situation. It was time to move on, IMO. However, if Favre goes and wins it all for the Vikings, well, then we're pretty much wrong - in a spectacular way - in the short term.

That being said, there are plenty of other blunders that are much larger than the punter. Not to say I don't think a lot of TT. well above average in the draft, so-so in pro-player/FA. Just don't think cutting Ryan is "one of his biggest blemishes." Not by a long shot.

Speaking to the bolded portion: you can't even say that conclusively, and nobody can say that conclusively because there's no guarantee that BF would be playing this well in GB. Maybe it's the domes, maybe it was him skipping minicamp that's kept him fresher. Maybe it took a bad year on the Jets that gave him a "Eureka" moment when it came to how he needed to play to still be effective. Whatever. That part's irrelevant. What isn't irrelevant is that you're comparing an actual to one of the several hypotheticals. So your bolded statement is just an unconfirmable sensationalist judgement point. (You should be a journalist. )

The fallout of the Green Bay Packers decision to replace Brett Favre with Aaron Rodgers cannot reflect poorly on Ted Thompson ' et all ' instrumentle in that decision. Yes Ted Thompsons fears were realized when Favre ended up with an arch rival. Yes the early reports on that may be glamorized or sensationalized as a poor reflection on Ted Thompson, but long term, TT and Aaron Rodgers certainly now appears to be the best course. Aaron Rodgers isn't stumbling out of the gate. He's probably most responsible for saving Ted Thompson's butt.

[mraynrand]

It's kinda funny that one of TT's biggest blemishes as GM is cutting a punter.

Joking, right?

Feel free to show be the part where I say "the biggest blemish" or "blemish bigger than Favre."

Forgive me, but I don't see the punter as being anywhere close to one of TT's biggest blemishes. I'm on record in saying that I thought TT made the right call in the Favre/Rodgers situation. It was time to move on, IMO. However, if Favre goes and wins it all for the Vikings, well, then we're pretty much wrong - in a spectacular way - in the short term.

That being said, there are plenty of other blunders that are much larger than the punter. Not to say I don't think a lot of TT. well above average in the draft, so-so in pro-player/FA. Just don't think cutting Ryan is "one of his biggest blemishes." Not by a long shot.

Speaking to the bolded portion: you can't even say that conclusively, and nobody can say that conclusively because there's no guarantee that BF would be playing this well in GB. Maybe it's the domes, maybe it was him skipping minicamp that's kept him fresher. Maybe it took a bad year on the Jets that gave him a "Eureka" moment when it came to how he needed to play to still be effective. Whatever. That part's irrelevant. What isn't irrelevant is that you're comparing an actual to one of the several hypotheticals. So your bolded statement is just an unconfirmable sensationalist judgement point. (You should be a journalist. )

Well, I was considering just writing in what's happened already: Beating the Packers twice, Favre playing his best football ever, and the Vikes being almost assured a bye in the playoffs. That's bad enough to consider it a major blunder. Add in a possible third victory over the Pack in the Playoffs, an NFC Championship, possibly Superbowl - well, you get the idea. Yes there are no guarantees, but what matters is how Favre is playing in Minnesota - so unfortunately it looks like TT is getting punked pretty good on the Favre situation. But there is still hope - the Pack could lay the lumber on the Vikes in the playoffs and the whole thing would turn on it's head. That's what I'm hoping for, but I don't think it's likely.