Special Teams breakdown... Giant's game

[rookBoston]

Tough to read too much into this game, because it was played by bubble players. But I did a close viewing of the game to log my perceptions of the ST competition.

Some observations from the Giants game:

• Good showing: Tavon Wilson made a bunch of solid plays and I think he's earned a secure spot on ST.
• Good showing: Tyms played DE in the punt return game with the 2nd unit. He dusted his blocker in 3rd Q and almost blocked the punt. I think he's got legit potential to contribute in the kicking game.
  
• Big block: Browner had a violent block on a gunner during a punt return in the 1st Q that sent his man flying, and drew a mild roar from the crowd. In all, Browner lined up for two punt returns in 1st Q and then I didn't see him on ST after that. I wanted to see more.
  
• Flashes: Harmon was active and assertive. Somehow, I have a lot of confidence in his play.
  
• The left side of the Punt unit (Wilson, Ebner, J.Davis, White) seemed to get a clean release more consistently that the other side (Fleming, Morris/McCuller, Gary). Maybe because the line is unbalanced to the left? Maybe the Giants were attacking the right side? Wasn't sure what I was seeing.
• Tough break: Morris was running with the 1s in Punt and Punt return, before he hurt his leg in the 1st Q. He was replaced by McCuller on the Punt unit, and Boyce on Punt Return. Neither one of his replacements did much to distinguish themselves.
• Opportunity missed?: After Morris went down, it looked like McCuller was going to get his shot. I was hoping to see him show up in a big way, but he was okay. He came onto the field with the FG, P and KO units; made one tackle that was really more of a gang tackle. I'm still pulling for him because he could become a three-way player for us, but it looks like long odds.
  
• Non-factor: Moore played in the middle of the line during punt return, the position that Buchanan held down against Carolina. I saw Buchanan make a number of downfield blocks to help in the return game. I didn't spot anything from Moore at all. Nothing negative...just nothing
• Non-factor: Josh Boyce, again... second straight game of nuthin. He runs as DE in the punt return, but I couldn't credit him with any meaningful contributions. He had one KR that didn't get back to the 20. I cant think of any reason to keep him on the roster, except that he was drafted with high expectations.
• Non-factor: #31 Gary ran on all the Punt, Kickoff, Kickoff Return units, and saw a lot of plays running in the spot that Chung filled last week. Despite that, he was the invisible man. I didn't attribute a single good play to him. The only note that I made about his play was in Q4 when he got abused by a blocker and taken on a long ride to no-where.
• Inconsistent: Gallon had a lot of opportunities as PR. I counted five PR opportunities, of which he muffed one. I suspect that muff might have clinched him a spot on the unemployment line, since he hasn't popped at all as a WR.
  
• Inconsistent: The cameras rarely track the gunners after the kick, but still I saw Swanson forced out of bounds and rendered irrelevant on two different punts. I don't see him making the roster.
  
• Not seen, thank goodness: after what I graded as a dismal ST performance by Brandon LaFell against Carolina, happy to report that I didn't spot him once. For Punts, Morris started at that spot, and later McCuller. For Punt Return, that spot went to K.Davis--who looked great.

My ST notes from the Giants game:

Punt
Q1
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Ryan, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, Morris
Backers: Wilson, Ebner, Gary

One of the Giants induced the entire right side of the Pats line to false start. The penalty was called on Morris, but Fleming and Gary were right there with him. My gold star to K.Davis, the first man downfield to down the ball.

Q1
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Swanson, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, Morris
Backers: Wilson, Ebner, Gary

Same lineup, except Swanson in for Ryan at the gunner spot. Uneventful.

Q3
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Swanson, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, McCuller
Backers: Wilson, Ebner, Gary

McCuller in for Morris, who had some kind of a leg injury during a previous defensive series and didn't return. McCuller didn't play on ST against Carolina, so this was a bit of a break for him.

Giants got a big run back to their left. Bad protection from the Pats. Swanson was forced out of bounds, and was a non-factor. Wilson was the first man downfield, but was unable to slow the runner. Fleming was second man on the scene since the play came to his side. He was unable to force the play back to the middle of the field, but managed to get one hand on the guy's ankle. He was probably was credited with the tackle when the guy finally fell down ~10 yards later. J.Davis cleaned up the tackle sweeping in from the far side of the field. I suspect K.Davis, McCuller and Gary should have been involved on this tackle, somehow, since it went to their side; they weren't. Just too much open field.

Q3
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Swanson, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, McCuller
Backers: Wilson, Ebner, Gary

Same unit. During this play, Wilson dropped off the man he was lined up against for Ebner to pick up, and ran straight downfield to force a Fair Catch. He nearly beat the football to the spot. Well executed.

It is possible that the Giants were attacking the Fleming-McCuller-Gary side of the formation, but for whatever reason that side always seemed to have their hands full at the line of scrimmage.

Q4
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Swanson, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, McCuller
Backers: Wilson, Harmon, Gary

Harmon comes in to give Ebner a rest. Swanson got run out of bounds again. Giants muff this punt but recover it. First men downfield are Wilson, K.Davis, then White.

Q4
Punter: Allen
Gunners: Swanson, K.Davis
Line: J.Davis, White, Aiken, Fleming, McCuller
Backers: Wilson, Harmon, (Gary, I assume)

No notes.

Punt Return

Q1
Return: Gallon
On wings: Butler, Browner
On line: Thompkins, White, Moore, J.Davis, Morris
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Thompkins rode his guy in a big looping path to the sideline and completely out of the play. Browner did a nice job disrupting his gunner. Gallon called a fair catch with the gunner from Butler's side bearing down on him. Even as a fair catch, made me a little nervous that he didn't receive the ball square on, facing upfield. He was turned sideways. That cant be how the teach it (but what do I know?).

Q1
Return: Gallon
On wings: (cant tell... presumably Butler), Browner
On line: Thompkins, White, Moore, J.Davis, Morris
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Browner and Harmon were double teaming a gunner that was downfield as Gallon received the ball. As the catch was made, Browner popped the gunner and the guy went flying, eliciting a mild roar from the crowd. After seeing that block, Harmon worked back upfield and gave his body up against what looked like a 260# linebacker bearing down on the play, and that collision was violent. Loved it. Giving it up for the team!! Unfortunately, despite those two impressive blocks, the Giants were all over this ball, and there wasn't much of a return at all.

Q3
Return: Gallon
On wings: Butler, Swanson
On line: Tyms, White, Moore, J.Davis, Boyce
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Tyms in for Thompkins. Boyce for Morris; I dont see how that is a fair substitution. Tyms got a great release off the line and almost blocked the punt.

Q3
Return: Gallon
On wings: Butler, Swanson
On line: Tyms, White, Moore, J.Davis. Boyce
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Muff!!

Q3
Return: Gallon
On wings: (presume Butler), Swanson
On line: Tyms, White, Moore, J.Davis, Boyce
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Gallon run right. Kudos to White, Harmon and Ebner for their blocking. Gold star for K.Davis for the best block on the run back at the point of attack. Tyms and Boyce were in that awkward situation where they're near the play but just not positioned with an angle to really help.

Q4
Return: Finch
On wings: Butler, Ryan
On line: Tyms, White, Moore, J.Davis, Boyce
Backers: Harmon, Ebner, K.Davis

Ryan comes back in the 4th quarter to sub for Swanson. Not sure why. Injury? Earlier in the quarter Swanson had made a nice strip and fumble recovery on D. Maybe he just needed a breather.

 

[rookBoston]

Kickoff Return

Q1
Return: Boyce, White
Line: (not visible)
Blockers: (not visible), Kline, (not visible)

Out of bounds. Touchback.

Q2
Return: Boyce, White
Line: Tyms, White, Gary, Harmon, J.Davis, K.Davis
Blockers: Buchanan, Kline, Bequette

White returned the ball but fell down as the blocks were taking shape and was tapped down. Could have been something. Kline and Bequette combined for a nice double block to setup a run to the right.

Q4
Return: White, Boyce
Line: (cant see), White, Gary, Harmon, J.Davis, K.Davis
Blockers: Maneri, Kline, Bequette

Boyce receives the ball. White makes a decent block. Bequette, who's a pretty big dude, gets decked. Kline with a quality block. Boyce is unable to do anything with the return.

Kickoff

Q3
Kicker: Gostkowski
Coverage: Butler, Ryan, McCuller, Gary, J.Davis, Ebner, K.Davis, White, Tyms, (cant tell)

Giants make a good run back of this one. Slippery dude with the ball. First to the ball are: (1) Ryan (2) McCuller (3) Ebner, who gets his hands on the guy but cant get him down (4) Tyms, who is coming from the wing on the far side of the field and force the play to the near side. McCuller finally gets him down, but it's a messy affair.

Field Goal Unit

Q2, Q2, Q3
Kicker: Gostkowski
Holder: Brady (for the first)/ Allen (the other two)
Line: Maneri, Kline, Fleming, Halapio, Aiken, Barker, Devey, Cave, McCuller

Uneventful, except to see Brady as the emergency holder.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I assume that Brady-as-holder is like Flutie-as-kicker.

 

[BritPat]

Excellent breakdown RB.