Another Elephant in the Room is Special Teams

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

Anyone hear anything on potential Special Teams coaches? Anyone that McCarthy might bring along?

IMO it was the worst ST unit that I've seen in many years for the Cowboys. Obviously need a new Punter. Forbath deserves to be brought back to camp but they better bring in 2 or 3 other kickers as well.

LandryFan · Jan 7, 2020

stiletto said:
Anyone hear anything on potential Special Teams coaches? Anyone that McCarthy might bring along?

IMO it was the worst ST unit that I've seen in many years for the Cowboys. Obviously need a new Punter. Forbath deserves to be brought back to camp but they better bring in 2 or 3 other kickers as well.

I haven't seen anything on ST yet, but I'm like you...ours was horrid. They weren't just the worst in Dallas in many moons, they were the worst in the NFL, I would guess. There simply wasn't a single element of ST's that was even just "below average". I guess the bright side is that there is no place to go but up.

reddyuta · Jan 7, 2020

first thing to do is getting the best punter available,even if we have to draft one.

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

No doubt....worst I've ever seen probably. Forbath probably single-handedly saved it from being one of the worst all time by going 10 for 10 to end the season. LOL

LucaBrasi · Jan 7, 2020

Bob Sturm today in the Athletic referenced how poorly the Packers ST were for a few year stretch and McCarthy remained too loyal to ST coach Shawn Slocum, culminating in them blowing the '14 NFC Title game in Seattle on botched onside kick recovery.

So there's that. Hopefully Big Mike has learned his lesson about ST.

OmerV · Jan 7, 2020

Sure there needs to be a new special teams coach and improved special teams, but does that constitute an elephant in the room? Special teams coach will be addressed just like the other coaching positions.

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

LucaBrasi said:
Bob Sturm today in the Athletic referenced how poorly the Packers ST were for a few year stretch and McCarthy remained too loyal to ST coach Shawn Slocum, culminating in them blowing the '14 NFC Title game in Seattle on botched onside kick recovery.

So there's that. Hopefully Big Mike has learned his lesson about ST.

I know. I was thinking about that. Hopefully he brings in someone who has had some success elsewhere.

Nate Kaczor from Washington had the 6th ranked Special Teams unit last season. I would think he'd be available with the coaching exodus in Washington.

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

OmerV said:
Sure there needs to be a new special teams coach and improved special teams, but does that constitute an elephant in the room? Special teams coach will be addressed just like the other coaching positions.

Yeah I think so....we probably lost 2 or 3 games because of Special Teams IMO....between Kicking FG's and Punting.

LucaBrasi · Jan 7, 2020

from Bob McGinn long time GB writer who now works for The Athletic:

"Special teams were his Achilles’ heel. Based on Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings, the Carolina Panthers were the only team that had worse special teams during McCarthy’s tenure than the Packers."

Whyjerry · Jan 7, 2020

stiletto said:
Anyone hear anything on potential Special Teams coaches? Anyone that McCarthy might bring along?

IMO it was the worst ST unit that I've seen in many years for the Cowboys. Obviously need a new Punter. Forbath deserves to be brought back to camp but they better bring in 2 or 3 other kickers as well.

It’s like a monster tusk charging elephant. They were TERRIBLE!!!

Zekeats · Jan 7, 2020

stiletto said:
No doubt....worst I've ever seen probably. Forbath probably single-handedly saved it from being one of the worst all time by going 10 for 10 to end the season. LOL

You don’t remember when we didn’t have a long snapper then Jerry goes out and over pays Jeff Robinson from the rams over 3 million a year to long snap. That was the early 2000s when now it would be like paying the guy $5+ million

MMObserver · Jan 7, 2020

Wonder if in all that analytics mumbo jumbo ol' Mac studied up on in his Wisconsin barn included Special Teams and whether Mac has finally learned that STs are part of a head coaches responsibility?

Because Mac sure put a couple of buffoons in charge of STs in GB, first RC Slocum's kid Shawn (whose STs cost the Packers the 2014 NFC Championship game in Seattle by giving up both a fake field goal TD and then failing to follow directions and blowing an onside kick) and then all-around has been Ron Zook.

Hard to find consistently worse STs units than the Packers under Mac (ranking from Rick Gosselin):

2009 = 31st
2010 = 29th
2011 = Tied 13th
2012 = 12th
2013 = 20th
2014 = 32nd
2015 = 17th
2016 = 29th
2017 = 16th
2018 = 32nd

Sandyf · Jan 7, 2020

Apparently McCarthy wants Ron Zook . Don't know much so will have to wait and see.

1LoyalCowboyFan · Jan 7, 2020

stiletto said:
Anyone hear anything on potential Special Teams coaches? Anyone that McCarthy might bring along?

IMO it was the worst ST unit that I've seen in many years for the Cowboys. Obviously need a new Punter. Forbath deserves to be brought back to camp but they better bring in 2 or 3 other kickers as well.

Agreed. Zero advantage created by our special teams. They can and should make a difference. Kicker, Punter, and returner. Who would be a good candidate?

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

1LoyalCowboyFan said:
Agreed. Zero advantage created by our special teams. They can and should make a difference. Kicker, Punter, and returner. Who would be a good candidate?

I mentioned Nate Kaczor. I only know him because I looked at stats on Special Teams this past season and who might be available. Washington let their whole coaching staff go I believe. He ran the #6 unit in the league and that is with Washington players..... so that would be one name. I am sure there are many. I admittedly don't know much about ST coaches.

ABQCOWBOY · Jan 7, 2020

More like a mouse.

ondaedg · Jan 7, 2020

stiletto said:
Anyone hear anything on potential Special Teams coaches? Anyone that McCarthy might bring along?

IMO it was the worst ST unit that I've seen in many years for the Cowboys. Obviously need a new Punter. Forbath deserves to be brought back to camp but they better bring in 2 or 3 other kickers as well.

We almost broke the record for worst kickoff return avg in history. Only way to go is up!

ondaedg · Jan 7, 2020

1LoyalCowboyFan said:
Agreed. Zero advantage created by our special teams. They can and should make a difference. Kicker, Punter, and returner. Who would be a good candidate?

But they did bring a ton of disadvantage. We lost the special teams battle by about 50yds/game.

stiletto · Jan 7, 2020

ABQCOWBOY said:
More like a mouse.

Elephant as in big freakin' problem.....

movaughn88 · Jan 7, 2020

Honestly I think the upcoming ST coordinator hire is more important than any other now that we have HC, DC.

If MM has any sense, and I REALLY hope he has learned his lesson, he would target a top notch ST coach (someone here mentioned Skins coach)

Not only that, but I'd focus on signing 1 or 2 elite ST players like Matt Slater on the Pats. He might have won that game this year for them. I'll take a player like him than some useless 6th slot project WR or DB.

Another Elephant in the Room is Special Teams

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