No one talks about our edge in the return game

[tombonneau]

Am I the only one thinking we are going to take one to the house in the return game?

Colts never seem to have good coverage units, and I think we have one of our better return games in years with Welker & Hobbs.

I'm looking for Welker to have a big PR early in the game, maybe take one to the house.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Sadly, Hobbs will only have one shot at taking a kick return to the house

 

[DGameguy]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=65457

 

[sebman2112]

When it comes to KR's & PR's I do agree with the OP, and hopefully NE will be the team working from a shorter field for the most part. The battle of field position can be more of a factor than some might realize. If Maroney wasn't starting at RB I'd have him back there returning kicks, but since he is starting I wouldn't use him in that role. He's a very good kick returner though.

What's funny is the Patriots have a bunch of good KR's on the team this year. Maroney, Hobbs, Andrews, Welker, and Chad Jackson are all good returners. I've wondered about using Donte Stallworth on returns in the past, and he'd seemingly be great at it. Now that Donte's a key member of the starting offense I probably wouldn't risk it, but I wonder if he'd have more success on PR's & KR's with NE than his days in NO?

 

[denverpatsfan]

Yes, ignored by the national media for the most part. I did hear one pundit claim that the Colts have one of the top special teams unit in the league.

Don't they know that special teams has been a weak point for this Colts team. By adding AV they fixed a huge problem but the Pats have been able to take advantage of their kicking and coverage units.

Look for this to be a factor in the game that nobody saw coming.

Except here on this board.

 

[sebman2112]

Yes, ignored by the national media for the most part. I did hear one pundit claim that the Colts have one of the top special teams unit in the league.

Don't they know that special teams has been a weak point for this Colts team. By adding AV they fixed a huge problem but the Pats have been able to take advantage of their kicking and coverage units.

Look for this to be a factor in the game that nobody saw coming.

Except here on this board.

How deep have Adam's Kickoffs been so far this year? I watched about two and a half Colts games this year, but I wasn't paying attention to Adam's kickoffs. I ask because at times he's only been able to get the ball down to about the 5.

Stephen usually kicks the ball into the endzone, and sometimes almost out of the endzone.

 

[ATippett56]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=65829

 

[workhorse]

I mentioned it in a previous thread. This is one area that there is a clear seperation. The Colts have two really good kickers in AV and Hunter Smith, but the coverage units are really spotty. Heck Hunter is one of the better defenders on the punt coverage.

 

[sebman2112]

I mentioned it in a previous thread. This is one area that there is a clear seperation. The Colts have two really good kickers in AV and Hunter Smith, but the coverage units are really spotty. Heck Hunter is one of the better defenders on the punt coverage.

I'll ask you the same question I asked the other Colts fan, how deep have Adam's kickoffs been this year?

I can't remember exactly since I wasn't paying attention to aspect of the game when watching them, and I haven't watched all their games either.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

How deep have Adam's Kickoffs been so far this year? I watched about two and a half Colts games this year, but I wasn't paying attention to Adam's kickoffs. I ask because at times he's only been able to get the ball down to about the 5.

Stephen usually kicks the ball into the endzone, and sometimes almost out of the endzone.

Gostkowski's had a few squib kicks, and two go out of bounds, so his gross average is actually lower than Vinatieri's--67.5 to 66.4--but the Pats' return team is allowing an average of 22.6 yards per return, while the Colts allow 24.7. Plus Gostkowski has a slight edge on touchbacks, with a shade under 20%, versus the under-18% for Vinatieri.

Of course, playing in a dome helps Vinatieri. . . . but it will also help Gostkowski, too.

 

[workhorse]

How deep have Adam's Kickoffs been so far this year? I watched about two and a half Colts games this year, but I wasn't paying attention to Adam's kickoffs. I ask because at times he's only been able to get the ball down to about the 5.

Stephen usually kicks the ball into the endzone, and sometimes almost out of the endzone.

He has been doing pretty good this season, having 8 touchbacks.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

He has been doing pretty good this season, having 8 touchbacks.

So . . . your new stadium is supposed to be open-air . . . which makes me wonder, will Vinatieri turn into a pumpkin like he was starting to in Foxboro?

 

[workhorse]

So . . . your new stadium is supposed to be open-air . . . which makes me wonder, will Vinatieri turn into a pumpkin like he was starting to in Foxboro?

The new stadium has a retractable roof, so I doubt the venue will really change how he performs. Though one thing that is different from other retractables is the endzone. The window walls behind the endzone open up as well. I don't know if it is enough to have any effect though.

 

[sebman2112]

So . . . your new stadium is supposed to be open-air . . . which makes me wonder, will Vinatieri turn into a pumpkin like he was starting to in Foxboro?

Yea, and I wasn't simply going by touchbacks, as that doesn't tell the full story. Some opponents have tried to return Stephen's kickoffs, even when their 5 yards deep in the endzone.

I will admit that I remember Vinatieri getting more leg under his kickoffs in that Indy dome last year, than he had the prior season or two in NE. I wonder how many of those 8 touchbacks for Vinatieri have come in the friendly air of a dome? Mind you, Gostkowski has only played one dome game so far this season (if you consider Texas Stadium a dome), and he'll only have two dome games this entire regular season.