Let's hope the Packers continue to play well on special teams Sunday.
By Pete Dougherty
[email protected]
EAST RUTHERFORD – Though it’s only two games into the 2007 season, the Green Bay Packers’ special teams have been far better than the nondescript units they fielded last year.
For the second straight game, the special teams made a game-changing play today in the Packers’ 35-13 win over the New York Giants. Last week, the Packers recovered two muffed punts against Philadelphia. This week, defensive back Charlie Peprah blasted Ahmad Bradshaw on a kickoff return early in the fourth quarter, causing a fumble that Tracy White recovered. That set up a short touchdown drive that opened up a 15-point Packers lead.
Last year, the Packers didn’t force any turnovers on special teams. In two games this year, they’ve forced three.
“We’ve been practicing it since we started (offseason practices),” said Mike Stock, the Packers’ special-teams coach. “It’s supposed to happen. Anything helps, everything helps.”
Though there’s often an element of luck in fumbles – Philadelphia helped the Packers last week by using poor judgment fielding two punts – Peprah’s forced fumble was anything but good fortune. He knocked the ball from Bradshaw with a clean, hard shot in which his helmet hit directly on the ball. Tracy White, who dug out from a scrum one of last week’s fumbles for a touchdown, again was on the spot today for the recovery at New York’s 22-yard line.
Peprah lines up as the second player from the far left of the Packers’ kickoff formation, with only one man, Will Blackmon, outside him. Blackmon’s main job is to make sure the return man never gets around his corner.
“I told Will to watch my back and I’m going to go in and find the ball,” Peprah said. “Usually (Bradshaw) was hitting up there in the wedge, and I couldn’t get there on the kick away, on the (other) side. This time he cut back and I just hit him. The coach said before the play, ‘Get the ball out, get the ball out,’ coach (Mike) McCarthy said, ‘Get the ball out.’ So I saw the opportunity, hit him, the ball came out and Tracy White jumped on it.”
The Packers didn’t have an error-free day on special teams, but a game-turning play like that makes up for countless smaller mistakes.
Kicker Mason Crosby missed a 42-yard field goal in the first half on a play when the snap might have been a little low but that holder Jon Ryan handled and placed nonetheless. As punter, Ryan, who performed well in training camp, had his second shaky game (36.0 gross average per punt).
The special teams also took a blow when receiver Carlyle Holiday went on injured reserve Saturday – he’d been on all four special teams. Running back Ryan Grant and fullback John Kuhn replaced him.
“Today was not a good day for us by any stretch of the imagination,” Stock said. “We missed a field goal we probably should have (made), the punting still wasn’t good enough. Coverages were good in terms of punt; kickoff coverage they blocked us pretty well, we didn’t cover as effectively as we should, but we did make the big hit.”
And it was the big hit that mattered most, setting up an easy score that turned a close game into an impending rout.
“We put a lot of work into (special teams),” General Manager Ted Thompson said. “We need to be better than we were the last couple years on special teams, and I think everyone understands that.”
Packer Report.com
More and more special
By Bob Fox
[email protected]
Posted Sep 22, 2007
Off-season effort to revamp special teams already paying dividends
The Green Bay Packers were ranked 32nd in special teams in 2006 by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News in a criteria based on 22 kicking-game categories. That was the second straight year the Packers were ranked 32nd. Oh, by the way, there are 32 teams in the NFL. I guess that got he attention of General Manager Ted Thompson.
Thompson utilized the 2007 NFL draft by helping out the Packers special teams. Thompson selected players that could not only play a position, but also players that did excel or could excel on special teams. Players like that included WR James Jones, S Aaron Rouse, FB Korey Hall, Desmond Bishop and DeShawn Wynn.
He also selected a kicker, Mason Crosby, in the 6th round to push incumbent kicker Dave Rayner. Crosby won the kicking job, and his selection came through as he kicked a game winning field goal with just seconds remaining against the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2007 season opener. That was Crosby's third field goal of the game, one of which was 53 yards.
Hall and Bishop have been key ingredients in the team's kick and punt coverage teams. Other players that have made strong impacts on the coverage teams are LB Tracy White, DB Jarrett Bush, DB Charlie Peprah and FB John Kuhn. Bush and Peprah were waiver pick ups in 2006 and Kuhn was a waiver pick up in 2007.
The coverage teams now have three turnovers in two games, including the opening touchdown of 2007 against the Eagles recovering a fumbled punt. Another fumbled punt led to Crosby's game winner over the Eagles. A fumbled kickoff led to a touchdown against the Giants in Week Two.
Another player that has really turned things around for Green Bay is DB Tramon Williams with his kick returning abilities. Williams is now 2nd in the NFC with a 28.0 yard average returning kick offs. That includes a 42 yard effort against the Giants. Williams has the attention of head coach Mike McCarthy as well.
"I'm excited about Tramon," said McCarthy. "You have DeShawn (Wynn) back there too, that's a nice compliment. When Will Blackmon is ready, we'll also get him back there. Flexibility is important, you never have enough depth, and I'm just excited with what Tramon has done with his opportunities."
Special teams coordinator Mike Stock also likes what Williams has done, although he believes Williams has gotten better blocking than some have had in the past. "That helps a little bit when you are blocking better, yeah," said Stock. We're doing some things that enable him make his own cuts. We didn't have any speed last year where we could do those things."
Right now the Packers have sure handed CB Charles Woodson returning punts until Blackmon can field punts without his thumb cast. Williams can also return punts. Woodson is ranked 11th in the NFC right now with a 5.3 yard average in returns. The Packers would like more yardage there, but are happy that Woodson almost never fumbles.
The special teams is almost clicking on all cylinders, but P Jon Ryan is struggling, even with his new two step punting delivery. Ryan is only averaging 39.4 yards per punt, although he has a 38.0 net average. The Packers are only allowing 2 yards per punt return. Ryan looked much better in training camp and the Packers feel that he will start hitting some boomers.
Even though there have been only 2 games thus far in the 2007 season, the Packers are almost assured that they won't finish 32nd this year in special team stats. One can say, that it was because of the special teams that the Packers beat the Eagles. The Packers also turned things around in the 2nd half against the Giants with Williams 42 yard kick return that set up a Packer touchdown and the lead. A lead the Packers never relinquished.
Yes, in 2007 the special teams effort for the Packers has been SPECIAL. In 1996, the Packers won the Super Bowl. The Packers were great on offense, defense AND special teams. Although it's early, the Packers look pretty good on defense and special teams. If the Packers can find a ground game offensively, then who knows how 2007 will turn out? But right now, Ted Thompson's eye for special team talent has paid off.
Bob Fox is a frequent contributor to PackerReport.com. E-mail him at [email protected].
By Pete Dougherty
[email protected]
EAST RUTHERFORD – Though it’s only two games into the 2007 season, the Green Bay Packers’ special teams have been far better than the nondescript units they fielded last year.
For the second straight game, the special teams made a game-changing play today in the Packers’ 35-13 win over the New York Giants. Last week, the Packers recovered two muffed punts against Philadelphia. This week, defensive back Charlie Peprah blasted Ahmad Bradshaw on a kickoff return early in the fourth quarter, causing a fumble that Tracy White recovered. That set up a short touchdown drive that opened up a 15-point Packers lead.
Last year, the Packers didn’t force any turnovers on special teams. In two games this year, they’ve forced three.
“We’ve been practicing it since we started (offseason practices),” said Mike Stock, the Packers’ special-teams coach. “It’s supposed to happen. Anything helps, everything helps.”
Though there’s often an element of luck in fumbles – Philadelphia helped the Packers last week by using poor judgment fielding two punts – Peprah’s forced fumble was anything but good fortune. He knocked the ball from Bradshaw with a clean, hard shot in which his helmet hit directly on the ball. Tracy White, who dug out from a scrum one of last week’s fumbles for a touchdown, again was on the spot today for the recovery at New York’s 22-yard line.
Peprah lines up as the second player from the far left of the Packers’ kickoff formation, with only one man, Will Blackmon, outside him. Blackmon’s main job is to make sure the return man never gets around his corner.
“I told Will to watch my back and I’m going to go in and find the ball,” Peprah said. “Usually (Bradshaw) was hitting up there in the wedge, and I couldn’t get there on the kick away, on the (other) side. This time he cut back and I just hit him. The coach said before the play, ‘Get the ball out, get the ball out,’ coach (Mike) McCarthy said, ‘Get the ball out.’ So I saw the opportunity, hit him, the ball came out and Tracy White jumped on it.”
The Packers didn’t have an error-free day on special teams, but a game-turning play like that makes up for countless smaller mistakes.
Kicker Mason Crosby missed a 42-yard field goal in the first half on a play when the snap might have been a little low but that holder Jon Ryan handled and placed nonetheless. As punter, Ryan, who performed well in training camp, had his second shaky game (36.0 gross average per punt).
The special teams also took a blow when receiver Carlyle Holiday went on injured reserve Saturday – he’d been on all four special teams. Running back Ryan Grant and fullback John Kuhn replaced him.
“Today was not a good day for us by any stretch of the imagination,” Stock said. “We missed a field goal we probably should have (made), the punting still wasn’t good enough. Coverages were good in terms of punt; kickoff coverage they blocked us pretty well, we didn’t cover as effectively as we should, but we did make the big hit.”
And it was the big hit that mattered most, setting up an easy score that turned a close game into an impending rout.
“We put a lot of work into (special teams),” General Manager Ted Thompson said. “We need to be better than we were the last couple years on special teams, and I think everyone understands that.”
Packer Report.com
More and more special
By Bob Fox
[email protected]
Posted Sep 22, 2007
Off-season effort to revamp special teams already paying dividends
The Green Bay Packers were ranked 32nd in special teams in 2006 by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News in a criteria based on 22 kicking-game categories. That was the second straight year the Packers were ranked 32nd. Oh, by the way, there are 32 teams in the NFL. I guess that got he attention of General Manager Ted Thompson.
Thompson utilized the 2007 NFL draft by helping out the Packers special teams. Thompson selected players that could not only play a position, but also players that did excel or could excel on special teams. Players like that included WR James Jones, S Aaron Rouse, FB Korey Hall, Desmond Bishop and DeShawn Wynn.
He also selected a kicker, Mason Crosby, in the 6th round to push incumbent kicker Dave Rayner. Crosby won the kicking job, and his selection came through as he kicked a game winning field goal with just seconds remaining against the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2007 season opener. That was Crosby's third field goal of the game, one of which was 53 yards.
Hall and Bishop have been key ingredients in the team's kick and punt coverage teams. Other players that have made strong impacts on the coverage teams are LB Tracy White, DB Jarrett Bush, DB Charlie Peprah and FB John Kuhn. Bush and Peprah were waiver pick ups in 2006 and Kuhn was a waiver pick up in 2007.
The coverage teams now have three turnovers in two games, including the opening touchdown of 2007 against the Eagles recovering a fumbled punt. Another fumbled punt led to Crosby's game winner over the Eagles. A fumbled kickoff led to a touchdown against the Giants in Week Two.
Another player that has really turned things around for Green Bay is DB Tramon Williams with his kick returning abilities. Williams is now 2nd in the NFC with a 28.0 yard average returning kick offs. That includes a 42 yard effort against the Giants. Williams has the attention of head coach Mike McCarthy as well.
"I'm excited about Tramon," said McCarthy. "You have DeShawn (Wynn) back there too, that's a nice compliment. When Will Blackmon is ready, we'll also get him back there. Flexibility is important, you never have enough depth, and I'm just excited with what Tramon has done with his opportunities."
Special teams coordinator Mike Stock also likes what Williams has done, although he believes Williams has gotten better blocking than some have had in the past. "That helps a little bit when you are blocking better, yeah," said Stock. We're doing some things that enable him make his own cuts. We didn't have any speed last year where we could do those things."
Right now the Packers have sure handed CB Charles Woodson returning punts until Blackmon can field punts without his thumb cast. Williams can also return punts. Woodson is ranked 11th in the NFC right now with a 5.3 yard average in returns. The Packers would like more yardage there, but are happy that Woodson almost never fumbles.
The special teams is almost clicking on all cylinders, but P Jon Ryan is struggling, even with his new two step punting delivery. Ryan is only averaging 39.4 yards per punt, although he has a 38.0 net average. The Packers are only allowing 2 yards per punt return. Ryan looked much better in training camp and the Packers feel that he will start hitting some boomers.
Even though there have been only 2 games thus far in the 2007 season, the Packers are almost assured that they won't finish 32nd this year in special team stats. One can say, that it was because of the special teams that the Packers beat the Eagles. The Packers also turned things around in the 2nd half against the Giants with Williams 42 yard kick return that set up a Packer touchdown and the lead. A lead the Packers never relinquished.
Yes, in 2007 the special teams effort for the Packers has been SPECIAL. In 1996, the Packers won the Super Bowl. The Packers were great on offense, defense AND special teams. Although it's early, the Packers look pretty good on defense and special teams. If the Packers can find a ground game offensively, then who knows how 2007 will turn out? But right now, Ted Thompson's eye for special team talent has paid off.
Bob Fox is a frequent contributor to PackerReport.com. E-mail him at [email protected].
