Special Teams are Neither Special Nor Magnificent
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ special teams turned in one of the worst performances in franchise history against the Chicago Bears.
And that was just the first half.
The Packers’ special teams was on the wrong end of seven big plays on Sunday night. Seven. And a not-so-magnificent seven, at that. While they earned a 45-30 victory, it was through no help from a special teams that helped put them in a first-half hole.
“We’ve got to continue to work,” coach Matt LaFleur said, shooting down the possibility of dismissing coordinator Maurice Drayton, whom he promoted during the offseason. “We’ve got to look at the tape, we’ve got to get things corrected. I’ll be the first to tell you that, yeah, is there some things that we have to clean up as coaches? No doubt about it. But we’ve got to execute better, as well.”
Green Bay’s first punt of the night was a 57-yard bomb by Corey Bojorquez but it went straight down the middle of the field. That’s a no-no, especially against an elite returner like Jakeem Grant. Given a two-way go, Grant took the return left for 34 yards to Green Bay’s 44. That set up the opening field goal.
On the ensuing kickoff, Malik Taylor fumbled the ball out of bounds. Had Taylor let the ball go, it probably would have bounded out of bounds and given the Packers the ball at the 40.
After Rasul Douglas’ pick-six gave the Packers 14-10 lead, Crosby’s kickoff went out of bounds and gave Chicago the ball at the 40. A couple plays later, the Bears were back in front of Justin Fields’ 54-yard touchdown flip to receiver Damiere Byrd.
Green Bay’s next drive stalled so Bojorquez punted. It was a beauty to the 3 that Grant fielded. He eluded Oren Burks, turned on the jets up the left sideline and was gone for a 97-yard touchdown. It was the first touchdown on a punt return in the NFL this season.
The Packers pulled within 24-21 late in the first half on Aaron Rodgers’ touchdown pass to Davante Adams. But Khaliel Herbert returned the kickoff 42 yards – his second return of 40-plus yards during the first half – to set up Chicago’s field goal to end the half.
When Mason Crosby bombed his first kickoff of the second half into the end zone, the crowd erupted with a sarcasm cheer. Later in the third quarter, safety Henry Black forced a fumble by Herbert on a kickoff return. The Bears recovered but Packers special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton celebrated his unit’s second noteworthy play of the half.
The list of good deeds ended there.
The third quarter ended with Bojorquez punting just 22 yards, but at least it was out of bounds so it was not returned.
Early in the fourth quarter, rookie punt returner Amari Rodgers had the ball rocket off his helmet for a turnover. However, Bears gunner Kindle Vildor intentionally ran out of bounds to give Rodgers a critical mulligan.
Finally, late in the fourth quarter, receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was in position to recover the onside kick but couldn't handle it, which gave Chicago a pulse for a miracle comeback.
“On a bright side, I think our field-goal operation has been much improved,” LaFleur said after Mason Crosby made all six extra points and one short field goal. “I think that is on the bright side. I think our coverage units have been solid most of the year. Tonight, they were not. And you’ve got to give Grant a lot of credit. That guy, he’s a beast. Herbert did a nice job as a kickoff returner. So, you’ve got to give those guys a lot of credit. But, certainly, it’s not up to our standard. It’s never an excuse. We lost some key special teams guys tonight, and that’s just the reality, and we’ve got to find guys to step into those roles, and we’ve got to execute better. Bottom line. We’ve got to coach better, and we’ve got to execute better.”
There won’t be much time to get it right. The Packers will play at Baltimore on Sunday. Under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens always have one of the top special teams in the NFL.
“When you’re playing great teams and the kind of football we’re going to be playing here over the next month, we need to be a lot more sound in that phase of the game,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.
