Bill and Special Teams Binkies

[SlowGettingUp]

So there are no fewer than five players who are currently on the 53 only because of their Special Teams expertise:

Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, Brandon King, and Gunner Olszewski

Not saying a player like Gunner might not have use outside punt returns, but he clearly is on the team primarily because of that - there are better receivers to be had out there.

Now that allocation might have been fine some years ago, but Special Teams plays are steadily being downgraded, mostly to avoid concussions. So the majority of kicks are now not returned, about one-third of punts are fair caught, and the number of punts overall is dropping as offenses improve (so fewer drives end in a punt) and more coaches go for it on fourth down.

Here is some touchback data:

NFL Touchback Data

In March of 2011, the NFL voted to move kickoffs up from the 30 to the 35-yard line. That impact has been significant, and the league responded by placing a greater emphasis on kickers who can boom kickoffs into the opposing end zone. In 2016, the NFL moved up where offenses would start following a

www.footballperspective.com

And College football leading the way on punt returns:

Is College Football Abandoning The Punt Return?

Fewer drives end in punts, and more punts are fair-caught.

fivethirtyeight.com

Now maybe Bill has decided to kick so as to avoid touchbacks - but that is a dangerous game, risking the occasional run back in search of a few extra yards on most kickoffs. And there are some "invisible yards" to be gained - between our great punter and coverage guys you are going to force more fair catches.

Or maybe Bill is just stuck in the past here and unwilling to adjust to the modern game.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Add Malcolm Perry to the club

(edit)- plus I would put Bolden in there too

 

[RobertWeathers]

So there are no fewer than five players who are currently on the 53 only because of their Special Teams expertise:

Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, Brandon King, and Gunner Olszewski

Not saying a player like Gunner might not have use outside punt returns, but he clearly is on the team primarily because of that - there are better receivers to be had out there.

Now that allocation might have been fine some years ago, but Special Teams plays are steadily being downgraded, mostly to avoid concussions. So the majority of kicks are now not returned, about one-third of punts are fair caught, and the number of punts overall is dropping as offenses improve (so fewer drives end in a punt) and more coaches go for it on fourth down.

Here is some touchback data:

NFL Touchback Data

In March of 2011, the NFL voted to move kickoffs up from the 30 to the 35-yard line. That impact has been significant, and the league responded by placing a greater emphasis on kickers who can boom kickoffs into the opposing end zone. In 2016, the NFL moved up where offenses would start following a

www.footballperspective.com

And College football leading the way on punt returns:

Is College Football Abandoning The Punt Return?

Fewer drives end in punts, and more punts are fair-caught.

fivethirtyeight.com

Now maybe Bill has decided to kick so as to avoid touchbacks - but that is a dangerous game, risking the occasional run back in search of a few extra yards on most kickoffs. And there are some "invisible yards" to be gained - between our great punter and coverage guys you are going to force more fair catches.

Or maybe Bill is just stuck in the past here and unwilling to adjust to the modern game.

Bill is not stuck in the past at all.

It's basic football.

Preference is for the opposing offense to start behind the 25yard line.

Preference is to avoid punt returns by the other team.

Thats why our coverage teams are so good and why Bailey is a big part of the operation.

 

[Triumph]

BB - Brandon Bolden

If anyone watched the Illinois vs Nebraska game last Saturday, you saw the first game and first win by Brett Bielema head coach U of Ill. That name might sound familiar because he was BBs assistant in 2018 and NEP DL coach in 2019. Vs Nebraska, Illinois was definitely prepared and won the ST battles in that game.

 

[PScottman]

Ultimately, what difference does it make? You can either have bottom of the roster backups (who then either have to play special teams anyway or make your first stringers do it exposing them to more risk) or guys whose specialty is special teams.

Take that thought through its conclusion. Your first stringer gets hurt. The backup gets hurt (and not every position has backups - there's not 72 roster spots for three deep across the board (11 off / 11 def, P, K)). You've only got so much cap space. "Better" players are likely to 1) not play special teams 2) be more expensive.

Either way - your best options are hurt!! The talent level drops for the impact phase (offense or defense) AND you've now also assumed additional risk in field position, field goals, extra points, kick/punt returns (some for scores either for or against), etc making the remaining player's not hurt jobs harder.

The Patriots choose to be better in ALL THREE phases rather than the likelihood of not increasing the top two phases' talent significantly via signing more "true" backups. It's complimentary football.

 

[RobertWeathers]

BB - Brandon Bolden

If anyone watched the Illinois vs Nebraska game last Saturday, you saw the first game and first win by Brett Bielema head coach U of Ill. That name might sound familiar because he was BBs assistant in 2018 and NEP DL coach in 2019. Vs Nebraska, Illinois was definitely prepared and won the ST battles in that game.

He's put on a lot of weight.

 

[Ring 6]

So there are no fewer than five players who are currently on the 53 only because of their Special Teams expertise:

Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, Brandon King, and Gunner Olszewski

Not saying a player like Gunner might not have use outside punt returns, but he clearly is on the team primarily because of that - there are better receivers to be had out there.

Now that allocation might have been fine some years ago, but Special Teams plays are steadily being downgraded, mostly to avoid concussions. So the majority of kicks are now not returned, about one-third of punts are fair caught, and the number of punts overall is dropping as offenses improve (so fewer drives end in a punt) and more coaches go for it on fourth down.

Here is some touchback data:

NFL Touchback Data

In March of 2011, the NFL voted to move kickoffs up from the 30 to the 35-yard line. That impact has been significant, and the league responded by placing a greater emphasis on kickers who can boom kickoffs into the opposing end zone. In 2016, the NFL moved up where offenses would start following a

www.footballperspective.com

And College football leading the way on punt returns:

Is College Football Abandoning The Punt Return?

Fewer drives end in punts, and more punts are fair-caught.

fivethirtyeight.com

Now maybe Bill has decided to kick so as to avoid touchbacks - but that is a dangerous game, risking the occasional run back in search of a few extra yards on most kickoffs. And there are some "invisible yards" to be gained - between our great punter and coverage guys you are going to force more fair catches.

Or maybe Bill is just stuck in the past here and unwilling to adjust to the modern game.

There are still 11 players on special teams.
Who do you think could have made the team and contributed more than these players?

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

The team's most recent Super Bowl win featured dominant coverage units that consistently flipped the field in favor of the Pats. Slater and Bethel were dominant in that game. Those are big plays.

 

[patsfaninpa]

The team's most recent Super Bowl win featured dominant coverage units that consistently flipped the field in favor of the Pats. Slater and Bethel were dominant in that game. Those are big plays.

Also, were great in 28-3 comeback.

 

[Chevy]

Bill is not stuck in the past at all.

It's basic football.

Preference is for the opposing offense to start behind the 25yard line.

Preference is to avoid punt returns by the other team.

Thats why our coverage teams are so good and why Bailey is a big part of the operation.

What did he call the results of special teams play? Hidden yards. They add up, and can be crucial (muffed punt v Denver a few years back).

 

[Sciz]

Everybody cleared waivers and only Montravius Adams has currently signed elsewhere. Whoever you wanted on the roster over those special teams guys, they're either already already signed to the practice squad or currently unsigned. Kristian Wilkerson's bank account cares about whether he's on the active roster over Brandon King or not, but I don't think any of us should be concerned about it.


Update: The second confirmed departure is...special teams binkie Dee Virgin to the 49ers' practice squad.

 

[RobertWeathers]

What did he call the results of special teams play? Hidden yards. They add up, and can be crucial (muffed punt v Denver a few years back).

Yep. Hidden yards. This is more about the offense.

Bill Belichick explains how Patriots have earned 'hidden yards'

Bill Belichick credits Patriots backfield and offensive line for finding hidden yards as of late.

247sports.com

Parcells opined that 100 "Hidden Yards" = 7 points. PR, KR, Penalties, Punt coverage/KR before/less than the 20 (25 now)

 

[Nunchucks]

Cody Davis is not just a ST player. He will see time playing defense in the DT rotation.

 

[Sicilian]

Cody Davis is not just a ST player. He will see time playing defense in the DT rotation.

You're thinking of Carl Davis. Cody Davis is the "safety", but that's in name only. He played 60+% of the ST snaps last year and 1 total on defense.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Slater and Bethel were dominant in that game.

Nobody is arguing about Slater and Bethel. It's the other three.

But I am admittedly less concerned now that the decent players they cut (like Bryant) made it through waivers.

They are still clearly light at corner, and so some currently on the 53 will not survive.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

You can either have bottom of the roster backups (who then either have to play special teams anyway or make your first stringers do it exposing them to more risk) or guys whose specialty is special teams.

That's a legitimate point, especially as special teams plays have a much higher chance of injury (nearly double chance of a concussion I think).

 

[patchick]

I wonder if Patriots fans tend to underappreciate ST play because we're used to seeing it done so consistently well that it looks easy? Valuing special teams has made New England's the flat-out best in the league.

Rick Gosselin's 2020 NFL special teams rankings - Sports Illustrated Las Vegas Raiders News, Analysis and More

 

[farn]

Often wondered why fans seem to hate ST success so much. This team - if it does well - will likely win on running & D. If that is the strategy, field position is very important.

 

[Triumph]

He's put on a lot of weight.

Bolden?

I hear that Kraft puts on a nice feedbag with lots of good chow.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Bolden?

I hear that Kraft puts on a nice feedbag with lots of good chow.

Bielema

He was overweight here but hes a blimp now.