Dave Toub Assesses Matt Araiza's Year with Chiefs, Expectations for Playoff Debut

Over the past couple of seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs' identity has shifted. Despite having one of the greatest to ever do it at head coach, quarterback and tight end, they've become somewhat of a defensive team that also relies on situational football, sound execution and ball control.

Being effective on special teams is a major part of that, too, which is why the signing of Matt Araiza during the offseason carried plenty of importance even for an under-the-radar role. Kansas City saved money by not inking Tommy Townsend to a long-term contract extension but at the same time, they put a lot of faith in a player who was far from proven. Araiza's illustrious college career and brief cup of coffee with the Buffalo Bills didn't guarantee success with the Chiefs.

Since winning a punter battle with Ryan Rehkow during the summer, how has Araiza fared? Special teams coordinator Dave Toub provided a progress report back in September and shared some more up-to-date thoughts this week. Araiza's been inconsistent, although that's what Toub acknowledges he's grown to expect from most first-year players on special teams.

"Yeah, yeah," Toub said. "He's been up and down, let's just say that. But when he's good, he's really good. We've just got to get more of those days with him."

Toub's "up and down" claim can be justified in the box score. During the regular season, Araiza punted the ball 62 times and ranked 10th in the sport with an average of 48.8 yards per kick. With that said, he was a middle-of-the-pack performer when it came to landing punts inside the 20-yard line (T-16th), maintaining a high net average (15th) or achieving hang time (18th among qualifiers). Advanced metrics suggest he's roughly an average performer as well. The Puntalytics database has him at 15th in EPA, slotting in two spots behind Rehkow and six behind Townsend.

The middle portion of the season, specifically, saw Araiza enter a slump. From Weeks 5-12, he landed just five punts inside the 20 (25%) and averaged a measly 38.9 net yards per attempt with a 15% touchback rate. Each figure has improved since then; Weeks 13-18 saw Araiza pin 40% of his punts inside the 20 while increasing his net average to 42 yards and decreasing his touchback clip to 13.3%. By just about every account, the developmental curve has trended in the right direction.

Entering the preseason, Araiza said power and consistency were his strengths. After struggling to find the right balance for a while, it seems that he's managed to implement some finesse. His rookie year is peaking just in time for the playoffs, which will mark another first for the former San Diego State star. Toub knows there will be nerves but given Araiza's growth, he thinks his punter will figure things out.

"Just do what he's been doing," Toub said. "He's going to be nervous – I mean, first-time guys are going to be nervous – but he's done it all year. Once he gets into the groove of the game and after the first punt, he'll be fine."

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