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[SIZE=+2]Pickups make Packers special
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]10:01 PM CST on Saturday, November 24, 2007
[/SIZE]
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Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy fielded the youngest team in the NFL last season, and that youth produced an offense and defense that statistically ranked in the NFL's top 12.
As those young players matured, McCarthy knew he'd see improvement on both sides of the football. He just needed to show some patience.
But McCarthy couldn't afford to be patient with his kicking game. The Packers ranked last in the NFL in special teams in 2005 and '06. He needed solutions there, not patience.
So Green Bay used sixth-round draft picks in April on a placekicker and kick coverman, signed another coverage player in free agency and claimed yet another off waivers. The result? A dramatic turnaround on special teams has contributed to Green Bay's 10-1 start.
The Packers were pathetic on special teams in 2006, which put the ceiling on team accomplishments and doomed them to a .500 finish. Green Bay ranked in the bottom 10 in 14 of the 22 statistical categories used by The Dallas Morning News to annually rank special teams.
Even worse, the Packers made nothing happen on special teams. They didn't block any kicks, force any turnovers or score any touchdowns on returns.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/rgosselin/vitindex.html
This season, the Packers have recovered three fumbles on special teams and scored two touchdowns.
Linebacker Tracy White, a holdover from 2006, has recovered two of the fumbles and scored one of the touchdowns, scooping up a fumbled punt by Philadelphia's Greg Lewis in the opener.
Last weekend, Tramon Williams returned a Carolina punt 94 yards for the other Green Bay touchdown. Koren Robinson also returned a kickoff 67 yards against the Panthers. Last season, Green Bay's longest kickoff return was only 35 yards and the longest punt return just 40 yards.
The Packers ranked 19th in the NFL in kickoff coverage in 2006 and 18th in punt coverage. This season they rank second in punt coverage and third in kickoff coverage. Obviously tackling has played a big part of that turnaround.
Cornerback Frank Walker, who jumped to the Packers from the Giants in free agency, ranks among the team leaders with 10 tackles in kick coverage. Fullback John Kuhn, who was claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh last September, also has nine tackles. Fullback Korey Hall, a sixth-round draft pick, has contributed five tackles.
Kicking also has been a big part of the turnaround. Mason Crosby, another of the sixth-round draft picks, ranks sixth in the NFL in touchbacks this season with 11. Dave Rayner, the 2006 kicker, only had 11 all of last season.
Green Bay struggled in the punting game last year in Jon Ryan's rookie season. The Packers ranked 26th in the NFL in net punting at 35.7 yards. This season Ryan ranks sixth at 39.3 yards. His hang time only forced four fair catches in 2006. This season he has already forced eight fair catches.
The improvement on special teams has made the Packers a complete team. And complete teams compete for Super Bowls.
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]10:01 PM CST on Saturday, November 24, 2007
[/SIZE]
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/sports/columnists/mugs/mug_rgosselin.jpg
• E-mail
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy fielded the youngest team in the NFL last season, and that youth produced an offense and defense that statistically ranked in the NFL's top 12.
As those young players matured, McCarthy knew he'd see improvement on both sides of the football. He just needed to show some patience.
But McCarthy couldn't afford to be patient with his kicking game. The Packers ranked last in the NFL in special teams in 2005 and '06. He needed solutions there, not patience.
So Green Bay used sixth-round draft picks in April on a placekicker and kick coverman, signed another coverage player in free agency and claimed yet another off waivers. The result? A dramatic turnaround on special teams has contributed to Green Bay's 10-1 start.
The Packers were pathetic on special teams in 2006, which put the ceiling on team accomplishments and doomed them to a .500 finish. Green Bay ranked in the bottom 10 in 14 of the 22 statistical categories used by The Dallas Morning News to annually rank special teams.
Even worse, the Packers made nothing happen on special teams. They didn't block any kicks, force any turnovers or score any touchdowns on returns.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/rgosselin/vitindex.html
This season, the Packers have recovered three fumbles on special teams and scored two touchdowns.
Linebacker Tracy White, a holdover from 2006, has recovered two of the fumbles and scored one of the touchdowns, scooping up a fumbled punt by Philadelphia's Greg Lewis in the opener.
Last weekend, Tramon Williams returned a Carolina punt 94 yards for the other Green Bay touchdown. Koren Robinson also returned a kickoff 67 yards against the Panthers. Last season, Green Bay's longest kickoff return was only 35 yards and the longest punt return just 40 yards.
The Packers ranked 19th in the NFL in kickoff coverage in 2006 and 18th in punt coverage. This season they rank second in punt coverage and third in kickoff coverage. Obviously tackling has played a big part of that turnaround.
Cornerback Frank Walker, who jumped to the Packers from the Giants in free agency, ranks among the team leaders with 10 tackles in kick coverage. Fullback John Kuhn, who was claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh last September, also has nine tackles. Fullback Korey Hall, a sixth-round draft pick, has contributed five tackles.
Kicking also has been a big part of the turnaround. Mason Crosby, another of the sixth-round draft picks, ranks sixth in the NFL in touchbacks this season with 11. Dave Rayner, the 2006 kicker, only had 11 all of last season.
Green Bay struggled in the punting game last year in Jon Ryan's rookie season. The Packers ranked 26th in the NFL in net punting at 35.7 yards. This season Ryan ranks sixth at 39.3 yards. His hang time only forced four fair catches in 2006. This season he has already forced eight fair catches.
The improvement on special teams has made the Packers a complete team. And complete teams compete for Super Bowls.