LS Danny Aiken

[RayClay]

When he came up with another crappy snap that cost us, I figured that was it for him, after already being cut previously.

Is it me, or do we expect to not have bad snaps as a part of every other game? How many teams have long snappers on the PS (I believe we do). Thoughts?

 

[primetime]

I expect him to be gone tomorrow.

 

[stumeister]

He only has one job to do on this team..... I don't think that's asking a lot for him to do that one thing well.

 

[Big-T]

They didn't leave him in Miami?

 

[Jimke]

I expect him to be gone tomorrow.

I thought that he would be gone already. Time to bring in two or three for auditions or get one
from some other team's practice squad. The sooner the better.

 

[Deus Irae]

The snap wasn't that bad, and Allen handled it quickly after the drop. The problem was the protection.

 

[rochrist]

When he came up with another crappy snap that cost us, I figured that was it for him, after already being cut previously.

Is it me, or do we expect to not have bad snaps as a part of every other game? How many teams have long snappers on the PS (I believe we do). Thoughts?

That was not an especially bad snap. The block is entirely on Ryan and a screw up in the blocking assignment.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-.../4767724/pats-1st-quarter-review-blocked-punt

 

[makoute]

The snap wasn't that bad, and Allen handled it quickly after the drop. The problem was the protection.

It wasn't? The ball landed directly in front of Allen toes.

 

[rochrist]

It wasn't? The ball landed directly in front of Allen toes.

No, it didn't. It was somewhat low, but it didn't hit the ground.

 

[makoute]

No, it didn't. It was somewhat low, but it didn't hit the ground.

It did hit the ground.

 

[Patriot Missile]

No, it didn't. It was somewhat low, but it didn't hit the ground.

He was supposed to kick it off the snap before it touched the ground.

 

[rochrist]

It wasn't? The ball landed directly in front of Allen toes.

In fact, I just watched it again on NFL Rewind. It's low, but Ryan catches it and then drops it.
Meanwhile, Nate Ebner ignores the guy coming up the middle who ends up blocking the punt and instead heads downfield. It seems likely there was a communication screwup and he thought someone else was taking the guy.

 

[Deus Irae]

It wasn't? The ball landed directly in front of Allen toes.

You should go find the footage.

1. The blocked punt that put the Patriots in an early hole was a case in which the Dolphins didn’t even have a full-fledged pressure call on, which leads us to believe a communication error was at the root of the issue. The Dolphins rushed six. The Patriots had eight in to protect. A blocked punt should not happen in that situation, but based on an initial pressure look up the middle, it seems logical to assume there was a call made to alter protection by personal protector Nate Ebner. Not every blocker on the line seemed to get the message however, with linebacker Chris McCain's inside rush beating Rob Ninkovich to his inside shoulder and giving McCain a direct line to punter Ryan Allen.

Ninkovich2. Personnel note: Ninkovich was on the punt team because of the injury to second-year defensive end Michael Buchanan. Ninkovich has played the role in the past and is more than capable. At the same time, with limited practice reps compared to Buchanan, it seems to fair to say this was a case where an injury to a player (Buchanan) that might be easy for many to overlook had a direct impact on what unfolded early in the season opener.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-.../4767724/pats-1st-quarter-review-blocked-punt

 

[Haley]

Since he was cut from the team and unable to practice much prior to the game, I expect this slightly bad snap situation won't amount to much unless it becomes chronic.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

Who is the alternative to Akien? Another JAG off the street? Send someone on the PS to long snapper school? Trade for a LS, seriously?

 

[Haley]

Who is the alternative to Akien? Another JAG off the street? Send someone on the PS to long snapper school? Trade for a LS, seriously?

Why Ninkovich, of course. Clearly it is the reason for his reduced snap count. It's all about priorities.

 

[RayClay]

The snap wasn't that bad, and Allen handled it quickly after the drop. The problem was the protection.

How bad does it have to be? Unless we hire an acrobat as punter, I think dropping a guy who's snapped from shoe tops to over the head in recent memory would be an easy solution for one issue.

 

[RayClay]

No, it didn't. It was somewhat low, but it didn't hit the ground.

Silly me. I figure a guy that has to do one thing can snap between the shoetops and over the head pretty much all the time. are we grading on a curve?

 

[Deus Irae]

How bad does it have to be? Unless we hire an acrobat as punter, I think dropping a guy who's snapped from shoe tops to over the head in recent memory would be an easy solution for one issue.

You need to re-watch the play, too.

 

[rochrist]

It did hit the ground.

Sure. After Ryan dropped it.

Silly me. I figure a guy that has to do one thing can snap between the shoetops and over the head pretty much all the time. are we grading on a curve?

What's hard to figure out about this. The snap was not bad, Ryan dropped it and they totally blew their blocking assignments allowing a guy a free run straight up the middle.