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Will Special Teams play actually improve in 2022?


vike daddy

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11 minutes ago, SteelKing728 said:

Besides two big returns, I'm surprised Kene Nwangwu hasn't had a bigger impact on Kick Return, even as the NFL has neutered that part of the game.

I'd love to see what he could do if the game stayed the way it was when guys like Hester was in the league, or the start of Flash's career.

3 TDs in his first two years is impressive with the rule change. Wonder if he will be in a position to challenge Pattersons kick return record. Obviously he’s got a long ways to go but needs to consistently deliver at least one per year. 

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59 minutes ago, SteelKing728 said:

Besides two big returns, I'm surprised Kene Nwangwu hasn't had a bigger impact on Kick Return, even as the NFL has neutered that part of the game.

I'd love to see what he could do if the game stayed the way it was when guys like Hester was in the league, or the start of Flash's career.

 

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1 hour ago, vikingsrule said:

3 TDs in his first two years is impressive with the rule change. Wonder if he will be in a position to challenge Pattersons kick return record. Obviously he’s got a long ways to go but needs to consistently deliver at least one per year. 

other than the whole point of we'd prefer the other team not have many kickoffs to us, because it means they scored points on the field.

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4 hours ago, vike daddy said:

other than the whole point of we'd prefer the other team not have many kickoffs to us, because it means they scored points on the field.

Agreed but if we’re going to give up 380 passing yards every other week to below average QBs, he’ll get plenty of opportunities. 

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Kene Nwangwu's 97-yard kickoff return touchdown was an equalizer on the scoreboard and an energizer for the Vikings sideline and everyone in the stands.

Hunter: "Yeah, that's definitely the moment. When we saw that, we were like, 'OK.' We could feel the change in momentum. That pretty much sprung us up. It gave offense some energy, gave defense some energy."

Kendricks: "if I were to give it to one play, I'd say it was the kickoff return. Shout-out to special teams coming up big for us when we least expect it. That touchdown was huge momentum for us and gave us points we needed for the lead."

Cousins: "Obviously the kickoff return, the whole unit, it was an unbelievable return that really made a difference in the game. I think they might have drawn that one up at halftime, so halftime was pretty productive."

https://www.vikings.com/news/kene-nwangwu-kick-return-touchdown-patriots

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cordarrelle patterson@ceeflashpee84

@NwangwuKene boy you special

 

 

After striking early his rookie year, Nwangwu had been quiet this season with no return touchdowns through the first 10 games of the season.

O’Connell:  “All year long I hit him at pregame meals. Is today the day? Is today the day? He’s just so talented, such a special athlete. I just thought in that moment for Kene, even when it looked like maybe they were closing in on him there, he’s just so explosive, to get that thing going. Then to finish that in a moment where it was a huge play for our team. You’d like to think we would have gone on the field right there and drove for a touchdown. But to get that immediate response allowed the defense to get their cleats back in the ground and be ready to go on the next drive.”

 

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1 hour ago, perrynoid said:

I'd like to see them line Nwangwu up in the slot, would make for some interesting plays.

I'd just like to see them give him a few plays as a running back. Screens, handoffs, whatever. See what we have in him and Chandler, because Mattison hasn't been anything special this year and is gone in the offseason.

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I'd be moderately surprised if that were the case.  Obviously, Joseph has had significant issues with the XPs...but I don't think signing a guy off the street right now would make any significant difference.  I mean, there's a reason why they're still on the street.  And Blankenship has had his own issues with XPs.

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At a time when kickoff returns are being largely phased out of the NFL, Kene Nwangu is one of the few players still making an impact: As a rookie last season he had two kickoff return touchdowns, and this season he’s leading the NFL with 24 kickoff returns, 620 yards and a 25.8-yard average.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/thanksgiving-touchdown-return-earns-kene-nwangwu-nfc-special-teams-player-of-the-week/

Edited by vike daddy
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