Special Teams is freakin' me out!

[smartestmaninamerica]

Ok, I am glad we won. Great game. Good to win when you play poorly for much of the game. That being said, I'm gonna rag on the Special Teams.

1. How many times did the Eagles start their possession after a kickoff at or near their own 40? How many times did we start past the 30?

2. Is anyone going to block for Brown? It seems like every kickoff and punt return he was nailed by 2 or three players right after catching the ball. He is a good runner if untouched, but no one would ever brag about him as a "tackle breaker". Many times it looks like those tackling him are still running at full speed, as if no one even tried to slow them down. I know our guys are trying hard. Is this a scheme issue?

3. It seems like the opponents kickoff returner always gets maybe 10 yards downfield before the first Redskin defender comes into the picture. Why is this? Does John Hall's kick not have enough hangtime? Are we not aggressive getting down the field? Is it a scheme problem? I don't know.

Anyway, if there are any weak links to this team that will derail us, it is special teams play. It NEEDS to be fixed if we ever hope to beat a team like the Colts that WILL make us pay dearly for giving up that kind of field position.

Hey, love the Skins, but this IS a problem.

[warrentonboy]

College has a number of kickers who can boom the ball out of the endzone. We need to have a kicker to do that occassionally. I understand high kicks to try to pin down the opposition inside the 20, but most of Hall's kicks were fielded at the 20 or better. What gives? Anyway, postseason play overshadows this for now.

[wildbill]

Yeah, Hall hasn't been getting any distance on his kicks.

[Captain Chaos47]

That was something I noticed as well. You can't hand your opponents field position like that on a regular basis and expect to win.

[KDawg]

Our special teams also has been blocking field goals, recovering fumbles, brought one back to the house this year and has been pinning teams deep in their own territory. It ain't all bad. Glass half empty analogies are bad for the heart.

[dockeryfan]

This is nothing new. Special teams have been simply horrible all year. Danny Smith needs to adapt to the talent he has. His STs suck this year.

But we're still in the playoffs :point2sky :point2sky :point2sky

[warrentonboy]

KDawg, in the playoffs, you gotta get distance on kickoffs cause field position will be huge considering how matched these two teams are. Not intending for bad analogies, just observation.

[The Slammer]

We should pick up Virginia's Kurt Smith as a kickoff specialist. He probably kicked about 80% touchbacks this year.

[warrentonboy]

We should pick up Virginia's Kurt Smith as a kickoff specialist. He probably kicked about 80% touchbacks this year.

There is a kid on my son's football :point2sky team that kicked all but three out of the endzone this year! He's the number one scouted kicker in Virginia and only a Junior. Andy Smith is his name, so look for him in a few years!

[KDawg]

College and High School kickers kick off from alot closer to the end zone than pro kickers do. Not sure how many realize that.

warrentonboy,

Believe me. I understand. I coach football. But to say an entire unit (special teams) stinks because of a few miscues isn't very fair. They have had their share of phenominal plays and they've had their share of bad ones. All we can hope for is more consistency. I can't be down on a unit that has almost single handedly accounted for some of our wins.

[Zarg]

Hall has dead leg... much like Brad Johnson had aquired dead arm as the season went on... I would like to see a reverse with Browns' speed... or the "ol' toss across"

[GrimReefa]

I was as big a ST critic as the next guy earlier in the year, but the Redskins have two KRs for TDs (by two different guys), and have blocked a FG and a punt.

Hall's kickoffs are short primarily because he is not healthy - or maybe he's old. And they definately need a new punter, although Frost had a good game yesterday.

I'm much more concerned about our secondary right now. Especially considering what happened the last time the 'Skins played TB.

[Peregrine]

Well special teams has been good one week, poor the next. Last week it was poor.

[nexxrev]

Do ya'll think Gibbs should put moss in to return punts? Moss has the exp. I like AB but this is the playoffs, I just think we will better off with moss back there.

[ouvan59]

This is nothing new. Special teams have been simply horrible all year. Danny Smith needs to adapt to the talent he has. His STs suck this year.

But we're still in the playoffs :point2sky :point2sky :point2sky

Are you kidding? What games are you guys watching? We have been near the top of the league in coverage units all year long. We are 2nd in the NFL in punt return coverage and 6th in Kickoff coverage.

The only unit that has struggled at all is punt returns.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Hall this offseason. It's clear that he isn't getting near the depth on kickoffs that he did before he was hurt. Hopefully he can get healthy and get his leg strength back before next year.

[SittingBull]

I think Hall will be fine with off season training to rehab the leg as long as no injuries hamper him. There's a ton of older kickers in the league that do just fine.

[ouvan59]

I hope so. He is an extremely good weapon when healthy. I remember when we got him everybody saying we overpaid for a kicker, well ask Dallas fans now if they think a dependable kicker isn't that important.

[smartestmaninamerica]

Are you kidding? What games are you guys watching? We have been near the top of the league in coverage units all year long. We are 2nd in the NFL in punt return coverage and 6th in Kickoff coverage.

The only unit that has struggled at all is punt returns.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Hall this offseason. It's clear that he isn't getting near the depth on kickoffs that he did before he was hurt. Hopefully he can get healthy and get his leg strength back before next year.

You mean letting the opposition start at or arojnd the 40 game after game on kickoffs puts us close to the top of the league? Wow, bad league.

[skinfan13]

Ok, I am glad we won. Great game. Good to win when you play poorly for much of the game. That being said, I'm gonna rag on the Special Teams.

1. How many times did the Eagles start their possession after a kickoff at or near their own 40? How many times did we start past the 30?

2. Is anyone going to block for Brown? It seems like every kickoff and punt return he was nailed by 2 or three players right after catching the ball. He is a good runner if untouched, but no one would ever brag about him as a "tackle breaker". Many times it looks like those tackling him are still running at full speed, as if no one even tried to slow them down. I know our guys are trying hard. Is this a scheme issue?

3. It seems like the opponents kickoff returner always gets maybe 10 yards downfield before the first Redskin defender comes into the picture. Why is this? Does John Hall's kick not have enough hangtime? Are we not aggressive getting down the field? Is it a scheme problem? I don't know.

Anyway, if there are any weak links to this team that will derail us, it is special teams play. It NEEDS to be fixed if we ever hope to beat a team like the Colts that WILL make us pay dearly for giving up that kind of field position.

Hey, love the Skins, but this IS a problem. the team had their share of problems but the special teams must be doing something right, 2 kickoffs for touchdowns, leads the league, 2 blocked fied goals, tied for 1st, a blocked extra point (called offsides in tampa, BS in my mind). the special teams are all right, they just had a bad game

p.s. by the way redskins in 1st in avg. opp start position in NFL, which by the way is not a bad stat

[smartestmaninamerica]

p.s. by the way redskins in 1st in avg. opp start position in NFL, which by the way is not a bad stat

I am sorry, how can that be? I have been watching the opposition starting out at our 40 yard line all season.

Please show me where you got that stat. It may be so, but seems completely impossible.

[cpayne]

Yeah, I doubt Hall will be around next year. Definitely not for kick-offs. I do like the way he mixes it up, though. He's scrappy... always in the middle of things on kick coverage and isn't scared to stick his hat in there. =)