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GDT Week 10: Packers vs. Panthers (Martinez on an Island Edition)


AlexGreen#20

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31 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

There's three ways to look at the punt return stats:

1. We have -8 punt return yards on the season. The next closest team has +41. We're an absolute joke of a unit.

2. The difference in punt return yardage between this team and the 16th ranked NFL team is 11.5 yards per game. This is not at all a big deal.

3. There have been 2 punt return TDs all year. There have been 4 kick return TDs all year. Special teams return units don't matter except not turning the ball over.

 

That's a lot of lipstick you're putting on that pig.

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2 minutes ago, Outpost31 said:

Trevor Davis was capable of picking up some decent return yardage AND not fumbling the football but y’all ran him off to Oakland.  

Personally I think the blocking is the biggest issue. If Devin Hester was the returner in this unit, his career never would have happened. 

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I think a fairly large issue with the return units has been personell.

Who's the guy?

Well, it was gonna be Sheppard - then it was gonna be Smith - then we got rid of him - Sheppard crapped the bed - bring back Smith - and lets see what he can do.

We've been jumping around with our return units all year.

Edited by Leader
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15 minutes ago, Outpost31 said:

Disagree with @Leader, agree with @packfanfb.  Punt returners flash and go all the time.  It’s not our lack of a returner, but our lack of blocking.  Trevor Davis was good at catching and going.  He never really danced.  That’s all we needed, and with better blocking he probably would have been really goodz

Outside his occasional odd fair catches - Davis was steady. He'd give us positive return yards.

You want to attribute that to the blocking? Yeah....well, maybe. I think it was more on him.

This year, Davis was the guy again - new unit - new coaching - hope springs eternal - then (I guess.....) the team pulled the plug on Davis cause the clock had run out on him as a WR and they figured Sheppard could step in and fill his WR/PR/KR shoes.

So its off to OAK with Davis and Sheppard is the guy.

Didnt happen. He got hurt (missed a week or two) and under performed when healthy.  Again - IMO - on the returner - not the blocking.

The team brings in Smith - to be ST and (supposedly.....) achieve the greatness he never did as a returner at KC.

Didnt happen. They shipped him out (thinking Sheppard would be the guy only......) Sheppard crapped the bed. So to the PS with him and here we are again. Smith's back and he's the guy.

I think the hassles have been with the guy doing the returning (or not) and that whatever the PR/KR unit achieves will be because of Smith (now) - moreso than any blocking schemes.

He had a decent KR last week.

Again, hope springs eternal.

Edited by Leader
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20 minutes ago, Outpost31 said:

Disagree with @Leader, agree with @packfanfb.  Punt returners flash and go all the time.  It’s not our lack of a returner, but our lack of blocking.  Trevor Davis was good at catching and going.  He never really danced.  That’s all we needed, and with better blocking he probably would have been really goodz

It's both.  Our personnel for catching the punt and the blocking for the returner are both sadly lacking.  Packers were to damn cheap to put money up for a top notch special teams coach ... this is what we ended up with.  If the bottom of the roster keeps getting churned, let's get some special teams guys that excel there.  Very rare is the game where the bottom roster guys contribute at all except for special teams.   So far, this aspect of special teams is far from special.

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2 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

Last year we finished 22nd in punt return yardage.

The year before was 13th

2016 was 20th

2015 was 30th

2014 was 7th

For context

Last year was a cluster**** for just about every category. As PR mentioned in some previous post, it's a toss-away year.
2017 - was Davis's best year.
2016, 15, 14 - I couldnt tell you where the "Micah Hyde era" began and ended - but clearly, 2014 was a good year - until it was no more in SEA.

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2 minutes ago, Leader said:

Last year was a cluster**** for just about every category. As PR mentioned in some previous post, it's a toss-away year.
2017 - was Davis's best year.
2016, 15, 14 - I couldnt tell you where the "Micah Hyde era" began and ended - but clearly, 2014 was a good year - until it was no more in SEA.

2014 was the year that Cobb and Hyde split the role evenly at 14 returns each. Hyde had an absolutely elite year returning that year. Here then had two really mediocre years the following two years.

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4 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

2014 was the year that Cobb and Hyde split the role evenly at 14 returns each. Hyde had an absolutely elite year returning that year. Here then had two really mediocre years the following two years.

And so now I know where the Micah Hyde era began and ended :)
I knew Cobb was in the mix somewhere to some extent - but PR/KR hasnt been a topic of study for me lately.
I just think - if we could find (and settle......) on some guy with the goods - the unit's performance (in terms or productive yards gained) will improve and help the offense/team overall. Feels like we've been an engine that hasnt been able to fire on all cylinders - or smoothly. Zook took the brunt of it all. Now Zooks not around anymore.

Edited by Leader
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