DMN/FWST Blog: Crayton returning punts again... better than Pacman

[WoodysGirl]

Patrick Crayton's returning punts again

5:52 PM Wed, Oct 15, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips

The most surprising thing about Adam "Pacman" Jones' reign in Dallas was that he didn't make an impact as a punt returner.

Pacman was the league's best punt returner his final full season, when he averaged 12.9 yards per return and returned three for touchdowns. He was expected to be the Cowboys' most electric punt returner since Deion Sanders, but e averaged a sorry 5.0 yards on 18 punt returns this season.

The job again belongs to Patrick Crayton, whose role in the offense will be reduced with the arrival of WR Roy Williams.

"I gotta get back to returning punts back there," said Crayton, who averaged 9.1 yards per return last season. "I've got to get my crazy attitude back."

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FWST

Crayton is a better punt returner than Pacman

How could he not be. Pacman Jones did little as a punt returner before his suspension. He had been a play-making punt returner in his past but it never surfaced here. Jones had 16 returns with a miserable 5-yard average because he tried to get cute on returns often going more side-to-side and backward than forward.

Now it's Patrick Crayton's turn again. Crayton had 22 returns last season and averaged a career-best 9.1 yards per return.

"Yeah, I've got to get back to returning punts," Crayton said. "I got to get my crazy attitude back."

- Rick Herrin
Posted at 04:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

 

[Phantom]

Patrick Crayton's returning punts again

"I gotta get back to returning punts back there," said Crayton, who averaged 9.1 yards per return last season. "I've got to get my crazy attitude back."

Is that a good thing?

 

[Chuck 54]

ummmm....I think poor punt returns has more to do with the other 10 guys and the other team.

Did anyone see something I didn't? All I saw on every punt was 3-4 guys standing in front of Pacman every time he caught the ball...I never saw him miss an opportunity...you have to have a little help back there.

We'll see if it's the same thing with Crayton.

 

[Mansta54]

[/b]
Is that a good thing?

Ahh, yeah!!! Have you ever played on ST. It's no joke... It's kill duty actually..

 

[StylisticS]

[/b]
Is that a good thing?

Yes, I think so. If he can get a nice 20 yard return with the help of his blockers and run up the field instead of the other way or to the sidelines, it will be great field position for the offense.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

numbers can lie sometimes.......he is not better at this then Pacman

 

[Disturbed]

This is good news. Scandrick and Jenkins are better corners and Crayton a doing better in the return game. Great, cut Pacman today.

I do not mind watching Jenkins and Scandrick on the corners...learning and making our team much better in the process...while Newman gets healthy.

And Patrick Watkins should step up as safety -- better in coverage than RW who still sucks. And Henry seems to have lost a step the last few weeks. Not sure what his problem is but he may need to move to safety.

Time for the young guys to step up.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Since when is fair catching a crazy attitude?

 

[AdamJT13]

Adam Jones is a better punt returner than Crayton. And he performed better this year than Crayton did last season. Why? Because he doesn't fair catch the ball. Jones had 16 returns and ZERO fair catches. Last season, Crayton had 22 returns and TWENTY fair catches. If Jones chose to fair catch almost half the time, his average could be higher, too, because he could pick and choose the best times to return it. Not to mention that he still hadn't broken a long return yet — which is what makes a high average anyway.

Crayton broke a 49-yarder early last season, along with a 26-yarder and a 19-yarder, all within the first four games. After that, over our final 12 games, he never had a single return longer than 11 yards, and he averaged 6.4 yards on 14 returns, with EIGHTEEN fair catches.

Figure out the average per punt fielded, whether it was returned or fair caught. For Jones this season, it's 5.0. For Crayton last season, it was 4.8. And over the final 12 games of the season, it was 4.1.

A 5-yard average isn't great, but a 5-yard return is better than a fair catch 100 times out of 100.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

a 5-yard return is better than a fair catch 100 times out of 100.

What about if the ball is being caught at the opponents forty yard line with one second left in the game with the Cowboys down by two points? Further clarification, it was kicked because they were at their own one-foot line on fourth down and the kicker, after wasting as much time as possible after the snap, felt that he could hold the kick no longer because a safety would tie the game. Crayton races to the ball but notices that there are still a few seconds on the clock. Would you rather he go for the five yards or call the fair catch to set up the field goal?

 

[AdamJT13]

What about if the ball is being caught at the opponents forty yard line with one second left in the game with the Cowboys down by two points?

OK, you got me. Some extremely rare situations call for a fair catch. But on any normal punt, a short return is better than a fair catch.

 

[Asklesko]

******. Crayton's butterfingers are going to cost us a game (on special teams, not offense). I just know it.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

OK, you got me. Some extremely rare situations call for a fair catch. But on any normal punt, a short return is better than a fair catch.

I know, but I really wanted to fool with ya! I even edited my first post to add some hairycary!