An odd stat - special teams and punting

[Fencer]

Pats' special teams finish 13th - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Field Yates, with a straight face, passes along a Gosselin stat saying that the Patriots gave up the highest gross punting yardage average in the league.

Well, what can affect that number? Not in order, my theories are:

1. Luck/opponents.
2. Weather/stadiums.
3. Effectiveness rushing the punter.
4. Field position.
5. Opponents' strategies against the Patriots' return schemes.
6. Anything that affects the punt/FG/go-for-it choices.

#4 jumped out at me. If the punts are coming from, say, the opponents' 40 and behind, then they can just boom the kicks without worrying about aim.

However, I haven't checked any stats.

Note that if you get a lot of TOs, it stands to reason that when the opponents do punt they'd start on average from further back.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Pats' special teams finish 13th - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Field Yates, with a straight face, passes along a Gosselin stat saying that the Patriots gave up the highest gross punting yardage average in the league.

Well, what can affect that number? Not in order, my theories are:

1. Luck/opponents.
2. Weather/stadiums.
3. Effectiveness rushing the punter.
4. Field position.
5. Opponents' strategies against the Patriots' return schemes.
6. Anything that affects the punt/FG/go-for-it choices.

#4 jumped out at me. If the punts are coming from, say, the opponents' 40 and behind, then they can just boom the kicks without worrying about aim.

However, I haven't checked any stats.

Note that if you get a lot of TOs, it stands to reason that when the opponents do punt they'd start on average from further back.

Field position is a big one. For example, anyone who want to complain about Mesko's punting should first look at where he's punting from to begin with.

 

[Fencer]

Field position is a big one. For example, anyone who want to complain about Mesko's punting should first look at where he's punting from to begin with.

Yep. Mesko would surely rank much higher in terms of average starting position (by the opponent) than he does on yardage metrics.

 

[Gwedd]

Agreed.

Field position will almost always be the major factor in yardage given up by the receiving team. It's an interesting stat, but not really important in the great scheme of things.

 

[eom]

according to this we were 32nd at 48.9 yds/punt, while sf, who graded at 1st in the overall gosselin rankings, were listed 22nd at 46.3 yds/punt.