On Special Teams, It Could Always Get Worse

Matt LaFleur mostly liked the performance by his special teams on Sunday. What do the numbers say about their special teams compared to other NFC playoff contenders?

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Dec 14, 2020 11:06 PM EST

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ struggling special teams weren’t as bad as you might have believed on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

And they’re not as bad as you might believe over the course of the season.

First, coach Matt LaFleur called Sunday’s special-teams performance “outstanding” with one obvious asterisk. With Green Bay having extended its lead to 31-21 on Mason Crosby’s 57-yard field goal, Jamal Agnew fielded Crosby’s kickoff 4 yards deep in the end zone and returned it 71 yards to Green Bay’s 33. Agnew zoomed between Will Redmond and Equanimeous St. Brown, took advantage of a double-team block on Ty Summers and beat Henry Black.

Had Matthew Stafford been healthy and in the game, the latest special-teams meltdown might have cost the Packers dearly. However, backup Chase Daniel couldn’t fully capitalize on Agnew’s return, the Lions managed only a field goal, the Packers survived a brilliant onside kick by punter Jack Fox and Aaron Rodgers converted a third-and-5 to run out the clock.

“Obviously, the glaring mistake was the long return but, outside of that, I thought our teams did an outstanding job,” LaFleur said on Wednesday. “We talked about limiting their ability on punt returns, as well, and I thought JK (Scott) was solid. I thought our punt protection was solid. And then Mason came through and had multiple touchbacks. The other kickoff that they tried to return, we had a tackle inside the 20 [by Randy Ramsey]. I know it’s not good enough when you give up a big explosive, and we’ve got to get better in that regard.”

The return was the latest big play against Shawn Mennenga’s special teams. Starting with a blocked punt against Houston in Week 7, the Packers have given up six big plays - two punt-return touchdowns, a fumbled kickoff return and two long kickoff returns in back-to-back games being the others – in a span of eight games.

Still, Green Bay will hardly be the worst special teams in the NFC playoff field. Packer Central’s special teams rankings take into account five phases of special teams – starting field position on kickoffs and kickoff returns, net punting average for and against, and field-goal accuracy. Green Bay is No. 10 in starting field position after a kickoff return and No. 1 in field-goal accuracy. Those rankings offset poor kickoff coverage (No. 22 in starting field position), terrible punting (31st in net average) and a feeble punt return (No. 25 in opponent net punting average).

Combined, that’s 89 points. That’s not good but it ranks fifth among the NFC’s top nine playoff contenders.

Here are those teams, listed in order of NFC seeding.

1. Green Bay – KOR, 10; KO Cov, 22; Punt, 31; Punt Ret, 25; FG, 1. Total: 89.

2. New Orleans – KOR, 7; KO Cov, 2; Punt, 18; Punt Ret, 10; FG, 21. Total: 58.

3. L.A. Rams – KOR, 14; KO Cov, 28; Punt, 22; Punt Ret, 32; FG, 28. Total: 124.

4. Washington – KOR, 25; KO Cov, 23; Punt, 3; Punt Ret, 30; FG, 24. Total; 105.

5. Seattle – KOR, 9; KO Cov, 9; Punt, 4; Punt Ret, 15; FG, 1. Total: 38.

6. Tampa Bay – KOR, 15; KO Cov, 30; Punt, 12; Punt Ret, 19; FG, 8. Total: 84.

7. Arizona – KOR, 27; KO Cov, 1; Punt, 27; Punt Ret, 18; FG, 23. Total: 96.

8. Minnesota – KOR, 16; KO Cov, 29; Punt, 30; Punt Ret, 28; FG, 32. Total: 135.

9. Chicago – KOR, 3; KO Cov, 10; Punt, 24; Punt Ret, 14; FG, 11. Total: 62.