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Special teams not so special early on

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Posted: Saturday September 18, 1999 09:28 AM

I talked with four special teams coaches going into the first week of the NFL season and they had more anxiety than any other coaches on the staffs, and for good reason. As New England's well-respected special teams coach Brad Sealy reminded me, "There are more big plays on special teams in the first four weeks of the season than in the last twelve weeks."

Just take a look at what happened in Week 1.

There were three unintentional safeties by punting units. And three kickoff returns were fumbled, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

There were blocked field goals, blocked punts and missed field goals. And you can add to this list of glaring errors: return yardage that rivaled total offensive output in some games, like the 271 yards in 14 return attempts in the Jets-Patriots game.

So what causes these problems?

First, teams miss excellent special teams players like Corwin Brown of the Jets who didn't make it through the last cut. With limited rosters and salary constraints, it's harder than ever to keep special teams guys who are career backups on offense or defense.

Second, special teams units have not worked together that much and the coordination is not there yet. So returns like Aaron Glenn's 46-yarder are more probable early in the year than later, when the coverage team has game tapes of itself to study.

Third, the pace of real games is so much faster than preseason and some inexperienced players are just not ready for it. Did you see Cleveland's Lonnie Powell fumble a kickoff return that was recovered by Pittsburgh's Troy Edwards?

Fourth, many rookies are playing on special teams for the first time in their careers and they simply aren't good at it yet. And finally, the new NFL procedures that have officials exclusively handling the game balls has kickers and holders worried.

Week 1 will perpetuate their fears. When Morton Andersen misses two field goals indoors, other kickers and coaches around the league will start believing the ball is the issue.

Week 2 may feature more of the same. As one special teams coach said to me, "expect the unexpected" until we get these units settled down.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years in the NFL as a coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/SI.

 

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