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It's often said that there are three critical components to a teams success; offensive, defensive, and special teams execution. The special teams have let this team and the fans down for an extended period now. I can't remember a time since Nolan Cromwell was here that I thought to myself "we really have a good special teams unit". Other than our field goal kicking, all other facets of the special teams over the past 10 years or more are lacking or at the least certainly not exceptional including punting, punt coverage, kickoff coverage, punt returns and kick returns. 

Much like defense,  special teams relies on being motivated and having fire in the belly along with a fiery and competent special teams coach. This lack of coaching and fiery attitude seems to be prevalent in other facets of the team as well. I can almost forgive what happened in Seattle where we not only screwed up the on-sides kick but we also bungled a fake field goal earlier in the game; but being consistently poor or mediocre game after game is getting old.

I miss the days of Travis Williams, Desmond Howard, Don Beebe, or a punter that surprises me with a 70 yard booming kick, etc.  It's pretty sad, but at this point if we have a draw with our special teams unit against anybody in a game , I consider that a win. You can always find a statistic to prove me wrong but the eye test says we need a change in coaching and teaching. 

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Iron posted:

I can almost forgive what happened in Seattle where we not only screwed up the on-sides kick but we also bungled a fake field goal earlier in the game; but being consistently poor or mediocre game after game is getting old.

You are far more forgiving than I am, not to mention Mike McCarthy wasn't forgiving either.

McCarthy made the correct call in sacrificing Slocum after that game.  The truth is, as a coaching staff, Seattle completely humiliated the Pack from a special teams point of view that day.   Special teams wasn't the only reason for that loss but probably 2 of the 3 or 4 biggest gaffes of that game were all from the ST crew.

Playing punt/kickoff coverage/returns are the simplest jobs to have in football. Minimal to no reads required and minimal responsibility. It ain't rocket science.

ST doesn't need to kick ass game in and game out, but there's little excuse for failure. A coach can't control a bonehead like Bostick, but he can teach lane discipline and how to set up or avoid blocks.

Last edited by Timmy!
fightphoe93 posted:
Iron posted:

I can almost forgive what happened in Seattle where we not only screwed up the on-sides kick but we also bungled a fake field goal earlier in the game; but being consistently poor or mediocre game after game is getting old.

You are far more forgiving than I am, not to mention Mike McCarthy wasn't forgiving either.

McCarthy made the correct call in sacrificing Slocum after that game.  The truth is, as a coaching staff, Seattle completely humiliated the Pack from a special teams point of view that day.   Special teams wasn't the only reason for that loss but probably 2 of the 3 or 4 biggest gaffes of that game were all from the ST crew.

MM forgave Slocum's terrible STs for years before they were so bad, in such a big game, in front of the entire nation, that he finally, finally fired the son of his buddy RC Slocum.

He then hired another buddy and the STs remain anything but special.

fightphoe93 posted:
Iron posted:

I can almost forgive what happened in Seattle where we not only screwed up the on-sides kick but we also bungled a fake field goal earlier in the game; but being consistently poor or mediocre game after game is getting old.

You are far more forgiving than I am, not to mention Mike McCarthy wasn't forgiving either.

McCarthy made the correct call in sacrificing Slocum after that game.  The truth is, as a coaching staff, Seattle completely humiliated the Pack from a special teams point of view that day.   Special teams wasn't the only reason for that loss but probably 2 of the 3 or 4 biggest gaffes of that game were all from the ST crew.

And the note above blaming it on young UDFAs ignores the fact that Hawk and Bostic, the two responsible for the biggest stupid plays, don't fit that category. Brad Jones on the field goal doesn't either.

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