Special Teams Matter

[Bobhaze]

Cowboys fans are well aware of how bad our STs have played this year. A Blocked punt that led to a TD against the pats. 9 missed FGs from makeable distance. Poor kick return yardage as well as poor kick return coverage. Poor field position for us- better FP for our opponents. The list is long and miserable.

in fact, the Cowboys are ranked between 26th and 32nd in several S.T. categories Let’s look at WHY our STs are killing us every Sunday.

• Bad field position- we lose this battle every week. Perfect example was the pats game. We were constantly starting drives deep at our end, while the pats used a blocked punt to get a short field and the only TD of the game. If you constantly have to drive 80 yards instead of 60, it’s tougher to score!

• Poor return yardage- we are ranked 26th in punt return yardage and 30th in kickoff return yards. We have a pitiful 95 return yards on punts compared to SF who has nearly 300 yards. Those yards can set up shorter drives! We have 15 fair catches which is the 3rd most in the league. This stuff matters!

• Missed FGs- Brett Maher has missed 9 FGs, all from makeable distance. We are ranked 28th in FG % made with a pitiful 67%. And we have lost how many close games where missed FGs would have changed game situations?

It has been said that Special Teams can be worth 3 points a game. Field position can mean the difference between having to drive 65 yards instead of 80. And STs can provide a spark to your team when your offense or defense needs a lift.

To me, having good STs reauires attention to detail. It has to be practiced as hard and meticulously as offense or defense. Great coaches realize this. Poor coaches neglect it.

The difference between this team being 6-6 and 9-3 could very well have been STs play.

 

[32BellyOption]

Of course they do. And our ST’s will continue to suck. And probably lose us another game or two.

 

[MysteryIceGuro]

I dare myself and this board to go a week without complaining. We would all fail.

 

[MojaveJT]

That video of BB explaining how many details he looks at during STs shows how badly the Cowboy coaching staff is outmatched.

The amount of detail he spoke of in one aspect of football is more than Garrett gameplans an entire season.

 

[32BellyOption]

I dare myself and this board to go a week without complaining. We would all fail.

I dare the Cowboys to go one game without giving this board something to complain about. They would fail.

 

[Bobhaze]

That video of BB explaining how many details he looks at during STs shows how badly the Cowboy coaching staff is outmatched.

The amount of detail he spoke of in one aspect of football is more than Garrett gameplans an entire season.

Belechick has forgotten more football than most coaches will ever learn.

 

[Aven8]

I remember when a lot of people on here said good riddance when Bisachia went with Gruden. I knew he was going to be sorely missed. Then our brilliant HC felt it was ok to go with a guy that had worked in Quality Control to complete his third phase because of his long line of coaching contacts he has had in his illustrious career...........

 

[America's Cowboy]

Cowboys fans are well aware of how bad our STs have played this year. A Blocked punt that led to a TD against the pats. 9 missed FGs from makeable distance. Poor kick return yardage as well as poor kick return coverage. Poor field position for us- better FP for our opponents. The list is long and miserable.

in fact, the Cowboys are ranked between 26th and 32nd in several S.T. categories Let’s look at WHY our STs are killing us every Sunday.

• Bad field position- we lose this battle every week. Perfect example was the pats game. We were constantly starting drives deep at our end, while the pats used a blocked punt to get a short field and the only TD of the game. If you constantly have to drive 80 yards instead of 60, it’s tougher to score!

• Poor return yardage- we are ranked 26th in punt return yardage and 30th in kickoff return yards. We have a pitiful 95 return yards on punts compared to SF who has nearly 300 yards. Those yards can set up shorter drives! We have 15 fair catches which is the 3rd most in the league. This stuff matters!

• Missed FGs- Brett Maher has missed 9 FGs, all from makeable distance. We are ranked 28th in FG % made with a pitiful 67%. And we have lost how many close games where missed FGs would have changed game situations?

It has been said that Special Teams can be worth 3 points a game. Field position can mean the difference between having to drive 65 yards instead of 80. And STs can provide a spark to your team when your offense or defense needs a lift.

To me, having good STs reauires attention to detail. It has to be practiced as hard and meticulously as offense or defense. Great coaches realize this. Poor coaches neglect it.

The difference between this team being 6-6 and 9-3 could very well have been STs play.

Preach it, BH !!!!!

PS: I would attribute 4 of our 6 losses thanks in part to Special Teams.

 

[big dog cowboy]

It feels like it's Ground Hog day around here. Every week we're complaining about special teams and what they did wrong. I get the sick feeling that won't change the rest of the season.

 

[T-RO]

Brett Maher has missed 9 FGs, all from makeable distance. We are ranked 28th in FG % made with a pitiful 67%

I agree with your overall point but C'mon...don't spit silly stuff. It's borderline deceit.

-SEVEN of the kicks Maher has missed are from beyond 40. Four of his misses are beyond 50.
-Maher has missed two kicks inside 40 all season!
-You ignore the fact that Maher has made two kicks from 60+, which no one in league history can say.
-You ignore the fact that Maher has made All (33/ 33) PATs. That's something only a 4 other kickers can say with the XP now being from the 35 yard line.

He had a terrible game Sunday, but let's just STOP with the anger-driven nonsense. If the Cowboys let him go there'd be a dozen more teams in line to sign him. Or more.

 

[Bobhaze]

It feels like it's Ground Hog day around here. Every week we're complaining about special teams and what they did wrong. I get the sick feeling that won't change the rest of the season.

Going back and “looking at the tape” never seems to work with this coaching staff. Or else they don’t watch the “special teams tape”.

 

[Bobhaze]

I agree with your overall point but C'mon...don't spit silly stuff. It's borderline deceit.

-SEVEN of the kicks Maher has missed are from beyond 40. Four of his misses are beyond 50.
-Maher has missed two kicks inside 40 all season!
-You ignore the fact that Maher has made two kicks from 60+, which no one in league history can say.
-You ignore the fact that Maher has made All (33/ 33) PATs. That's something only a 4 other kickers can say with the XP now being from the 35 yard line.

He had a terrible game Sunday, but let's just STOP with the anger-driven nonsense. If the Cowboys let him go there'd be a dozen more teams in line to sign him. Or more.

Ok....I may be non-sensical but I’m not angry, lol.

 

[T-RO]

Ok....I may be non-sensical but I’m not angry, lol.

I think we all are to some degree.

A lot of fans are so angry they see nothing good with anyone or anything on the team.

 

[Bobhaze]

I’m amazed at how many times this team chooses to not even attempt to gain some additional field position yards in punt returns. 31st in punt return yardage coupled with near the bottom on number of turnovers generated means this team loses gobs of yards in field position weekly.

And our opponent this week, the bears, have one of the best return yards totals in the league. Field position will once again be a huge factor.

 

[DogFace]

The non return by Tavon goes down as Garrett’s worst decision in the regulator season surpassing icing his kicker.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

I think I heard on the Fan last week that Judd Garrett is one of the key people responsible for the return game, so it sounds to me like nobody is taking charge of the special teams situation and subsequently 4 or 5 people all have their hands in it. It sounds like a giant mess to be honest.

When Garrett gets the axe, Jerry needs to make sure he takes all of his family members and comfort hires with him.

 

[Longboysfan]

That video of BB explaining how many details he looks at during STs shows how badly the Cowboy coaching staff is outmatched.

The amount of detail he spoke of in one aspect of football is more than Garrett gameplans an entire season.

Reminder: BB is playing chess with checker players.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

All teams matter

 

[Carson]

I think I heard on the Fan last week that Judd Garrett is one of the key people responsible for the return game, so it sounds to me like nobody is taking charge of the special teams situation and subsequently 4 or 5 people all have their hands in it. It sounds like a giant mess to be honest.

When Garrett gets the axe, Jerry needs to make sure he takes all of his family members and comfort hires with him.

I just don’t get what’s so hard about returning a kick or a punt.

We either hold, drop the ball or do something on 99% of kickoffs.

What scares me tomorrow, is Maher doesn’t boot many touchbacks. Guess what? Best return man in Cordarelle Patterson is up! He’s going to keep the bears alive tomorrow single handily

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Cowboys fans are well aware of how bad our STs have played this year. A Blocked punt that led to a TD against the pats. 9 missed FGs from makeable distance. Poor kick return yardage as well as poor kick return coverage. Poor field position for us- better FP for our opponents. The list is long and miserable.

in fact, the Cowboys are ranked between 26th and 32nd in several S.T. categories Let’s look at WHY our STs are killing us every Sunday.

• Bad field position- we lose this battle every week. Perfect example was the pats game. We were constantly starting drives deep at our end, while the pats used a blocked punt to get a short field and the only TD of the game. If you constantly have to drive 80 yards instead of 60, it’s tougher to score!

• Poor return yardage- we are ranked 26th in punt return yardage and 30th in kickoff return yards. We have a pitiful 95 return yards on punts compared to SF who has nearly 300 yards. Those yards can set up shorter drives! We have 15 fair catches which is the 3rd most in the league. This stuff matters!

• Missed FGs- Brett Maher has missed 9 FGs, all from makeable distance. We are ranked 28th in FG % made with a pitiful 67%. And we have lost how many close games where missed FGs would have changed game situations?

It has been said that Special Teams can be worth 3 points a game. Field position can mean the difference between having to drive 65 yards instead of 80. And STs can provide a spark to your team when your offense or defense needs a lift.

To me, having good STs reauires attention to detail. It has to be practiced as hard and meticulously as offense or defense. Great coaches realize this. Poor coaches neglect it.

The difference between this team being 6-6 and 9-3 could very well have been STs play.

Absolutely right! Special Teams play an extremely pivotal role when trying to win a game. Field position is vital to team success. Our returned skills are rubbish. We're holding far too much when we actually DO return a kick. And Maher misses a lot of field goals. I reckon we'd be feeling much better about our season if Maher made at least 3 of the many kicks he's missed.