Saints need Special Teams to Get Back on Track
The New Orleans Saints have some of the best special teamers in the NFL. Lately, the special teams unit has not been their usual selves. Ahead of the postseason, can they get back on track?
© Chuck Cook -USA TODAY Sports
My friend Coach Rick Gaille would tell me, "special teams must be special." At the beginning of 2020, the New Orleans Saints special teams unit was outstanding. Both kicker Wil Lutz in Week 5 and punter Thomas Morstead in Week 1 were named NFC Special Teams Players of the Week this season. After those honors, the special teams unit has not been performing at a high level, by Saints standards, of course.
All-Pros Deonte Harris (WR/KR) and J.T. Gray (Special Teamer), and Pro Bowler Justin Hardee, Sr. had several injuries that have kept them out of the special team's lineup during 2020.
Wil Lutz has not made a field goal since Week 12 in Denver. The usually reliable kicker missed three field goals, 1 in Atlanta (Week 13) and 2 in Philadelphia (Week 14). For the year, Lutz is 20/25 field-goals. He's missed 1 from 20-29 yards, 2 from 40-49 yards, and 2 beyond 50 yards.
Thomas Morstead averages under 45 yards/punt in his 12th season - this is the lowest since his rookie campaign. His 43.2 yards/punt is 3 yards under his career average of 46.6 yards/punt on the 57 punts he's booted. The 34-year-old Houstonian is ranked 32nd in punter average in the NFL from 35 punters on teams in 2020. He is one of the league leaders in punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line with 22 (7th).
How does special teams coordinator, Darren Rizzi, get his squad back on track? All of his special teamers are healthy again. Hardee and Gray have been making special teams plays on punt returns for the last two weeks. New Orleans desperately needs Deonte Harris to return from his neck injury for the playoffs. Harris was placed on injured reserve on December 19th by the Saints. His burst of speed is also a burst of energy for the Saints when he fields the football on returns. LB Craig Robertson has remained consistent and productive for New Orleans with forcing fumbles and big hits.
Lutz and Morstead will be fine. New Orleans will need a confident Lutz going into the postseason. Each kick is a big kick for him and the Saints. Remember how huge it was for former kicker Garrett Hartley to have the confidence and send New Orleans to its first-ever Super Bowl. Expect the same for Lutz.
