Zoltan Mesko and the Punt Coverage Team

[DaBruinz]

While you weren't looking, they've been putting together one helluva season.

Mesko has had 37 punts this year. Here is the breakdown of those punts.

4 Touchbacks.
13 fair caught.
11 returns. (fewest in the league)
9 downed.

The 11 returns have resulted in 81 return yards. Or about 7.36 YPR. Only Adam Podelsh and Britton Colquitt have been better.

20 of the punts have been inside the 20. This is good for 6th most in the league.

Thought Mesko's net is "low", I know that he's been making most of his punts from the Pat's 40 yard line to the opponents 40 yard line.. In fact, he's only made 6 punts from inside the Pats 20 yard line. Which speaks a lot about what this offense can do.

 

[jmt57]

Off the top of my head the only bad punt I can recall was late in the Seattle game (which unfortunately was critical), when the punt was both short and low/short hang time, that allowed Leon Washington to have a good run back and set up the winning score. Even if there are one or two others I may have forgotten about, that still makes for a very good percentage of quality punts.

I get the feeling that the coaching staff is instructing him to sacrifice yards in order to avoid possible runbacks, which has a lot to do with Mesko's stats being deceiving. Considering that the Pats have been without Tracy White (arguably their best special teams player) for most of the year, it is quite impressive how seldom opponents have had an opportunity to return a punt.

 

[Sciz]

On a somewhat relevant note, Cole lost his gunner job to Arrington, which I think is a direct response to Arrington losing his #2 CB job to Dennard.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Mesko has been incredibly solid ever since he started here in '10. HUGE upgrade from Hansen. And I can't think of many punters or coverage units I'd rather have right now than ours, no homer. This area has been a strength IMO for a while now and largely does go unnoticed, good lookin DB.

I can only think of the mentioned Leon Washington return and in last year's SB he had a poor kick that led to NYG starting in our field position. IIRC we were punting from our own 17 or so, so it was a tough spot but still pretty bad. Other than that I honestly can't remember the last time we've given up a huge play let alone a PR TD.

 

[JMC00]

Off the top of my head the only bad punt I can recall was late in the Seattle game (which unfortunately was critical), when the punt was both short and low/short hang time, that allowed Leon Washington to have a good run back and set up the winning score. Even if there are one or two others I may have forgotten about, that still makes for a very good percentage of quality punts.

If I recall Slater had left the game which may have attributed to Washington to having that good run back.


Here were Washington's returns

Punt- fair catch (can't recall but I think Slater caused the fair catch)
Kickoff- 17 yards (tackled by Slater)
Kickoff- 23 yards (tackled by Slater)
Punt- 4 yards (tackled by Slater)
Punt- 25 yards (punt that setup the last drive) btw that punt went 39 yards and Washington caught it at the 18 yard line

But it seems like Slater pretty much neutralized Washington all game on returns.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

If I recall Slater had left the game which may have attributed to Washington to having that good run back.

I'm pretty sure you are correct, and that's a good point.

Slater and Mesko are money in the bank

 

[PatriotSeven]

Mesko is the man.