Tag: special teams

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker wins AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors

#Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors after his six field goal performance against the Bengals.

The Kansas City Chiefs relied on kicker Harrison Butker to score the majority of their points in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and his stellar six-for-six showing against the team’s bitter AFC rival earned him Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Butker accounted for 19 of Kansas City’s 25 points in an effort that helped secure the Chiefs their tenth win of the 2023 season. The veteran kicker started his season with an impressive streak of 23 consecutive three-point attempts made before faltering against the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders in Weeks 15 and 16 respectively, when he missed one attempt in each game.

His bounce-back showing against Cincinnati should have Butker back on track ahead of the playoffs and could be a good indicator that the Chiefs’ golden leg is back to his old ways.

Expect Butker to get another workout against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 if Andy Reid elects to rest Kansas City’s starters,

Packers lead NFL with 20 special teams penalties in 2023

No team has committed more penalties on special teams this season than the Packers.

No team in the NFL has committed more penalties on special teams this season than the Green Bay Packers.

Entering Week 15, the Packers have 20 penalties on special teams, including two declined penalties. The team’s 163 yards of penalties on special teams also lead the NFL.

Per PFF, 13 different players have committed a penalty for Rich Bisaccia’s special teams, including four accepted penalties each by Kingsley Enagbare and Dallin Leavitt. Enagbare and Leavitt (who is no longer on the roster) are two of just five players with an NFL-high four penalties on special teams in 2023.

Of the 20 penalties, nine have been holding penalties. Five other penalties have been of the 15-yard variety.

Monday night’s loss to the New York Giants represented the sixth game this season that the Packers have committed multiple penalties on special teams.

Bisaccia said one of the penalties — an illegal blindside block on rookie Anthony Johnson Jr. — was a poor call.

“The first one on Anthony Johnson was not a penalty,” Bisaccia said Thursday.

Bisaccia said Johnson wasn’t facing the end zone and should not have been called for an illegal block. However, Rudy Ford’s penalty was legitimate.

In the first quarter, Ford ran into the returner and was flagged for kick catch interference, a 15-yard penalty.

Penalties have played a big part in another disappointing season for the special teams. The Packers rank 19th in PFF’s special teams grade and 28th in DVOA entering Week 15.

Last season, the Packers finished with exactly 20 penalties on special teams, which ranked as the third-most. The NFL-high in 2022 was 23 special teams penalties (Carolina Panthers). The Packers lead the NFL in special teams penalties and penalty yards since Bisaccia arrived in 2022.

Chiefs Dave Toub praises the progression of rookie DB Chamarri Conner

#Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub praised the progression of rookie defensive back Chamarri Conner.

The Kansas City Chiefs have seen their depth tested on both sides of the ball this season and are constantly developing their rookie class. The impact each young player can make when an opportunity presents itself due to injuries is essential to the franchise’s long-term success.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub is consistently working with the younger developing players in his group. He looks more extensively at their abilities while they work towards fitting into their respective unit’s game plan. During Thursday’s pre-practice press conference, Toub expressed his excitement at the growth of rookie defensive back Chamarri Conner.

“He keeps getting better and better,” Toub explained. “I mean, that’s two games in a row. Now. He made beautiful tackles on punts and open-field tackles. So it tells you a lot about his football ability; he’s gonna be a great one down the road. I’m enjoying the fact that I got him right now.

“I know, eventually, he’s going to, you know, end up being in-depth as, you know, getting more and more reps on defense. He’s already getting a lot now, but he’s gonna get more and more as we go forward. He’s some he’s a player that should be excited about.”

Conner was a fourth-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft and has played primarily on special teams. The recent injuries on defense could eventually see him making the jump on more plays in Steve Spagnuolo’s system.

Broncos kicker Lutz named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month

Congrats to Broncos kicker Wil Lutz for being named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month!

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November on Thursday.

In the month of November, Lutz was clutch, as the Broncos won two games by three points or less. Lutz finished the month 11-of-11 on field goals, and 3-of-4 on extra points.

After their bye week, the Broncos built on their then-two-game win streak with a walk-off field goal against the Buffalo Bills. If Buffalo didn’t have too many men on the field, Lutz may not have won this award this month. Initially, Lutz missed a 41-yard field goal, but a Bills penalty moved the ball five yards forward, and Lutz drilled the make-up kick.

Lutz becomes the Denver first player to win a Special Teams Player of the Month award since kicker Brandon McManus won the award as a Bronco in 2015.

Ironically, Lutz, who replaced McManus as the Broncos’ kicker at the beginning of the year, succeeds McManus as the AFC Special Team Player of the Month. Lutz hopes to continue his hot leg against the Houston Texans this week.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi expects Blake Grupe to play vs. Lions

Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi expects Blake Grupe to kick against the Lions, but the team signed a backup just in case he’s needed:

The New Orleans Saints typically make their coordinators available for media on Thursdays each week, which gave special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi an opportunity to address the recent signing of free agent kicker Austin Seibert.

It was previously reported that Seibert was signed as a backup plan should Blake Grupe’s recent groin muscle injury sideline him, but Rizzi doesn’t anticipate an absence for the rookie in Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions.

“Yeah, I’m not going to make any great predictions, I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t (play),” Rizzi said Thursday. “We’ll see as the week goes on. He’s got some more kicking he’s got to do this week. But Austin went today and he’s capable if we need him.”

Rizzi echoed the previous sentiment surrounding Seibert’s arrival, characterizing the pickup as an insurance policy: “The workout this week had nothing to do with a performance thing, it was more an insurance policy for us. We get a guy like Austin who’s an experienced player, a guy that’s kicked in the league for a few years. Actually has a game under his belt this year.”

Grupe was responsible for all 15 points the Saints scored against the Atlanta Falcons last week (while playing through an injury), so the team isn’t in a rush to replace him. He’s been limited on the injury report for each of the first two practices going into the Lions game so we’ll have to wait for a game status update on Friday. But it sounds like the Saints expect him to be active and busy come Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Wil Lutz takes a victory lap on Dennis Allen after winning Player of the Month award

Wil Lutz enjoyed a victory lap on Dennis Allen after winning the award for AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in November:

It’s safe to say that Wil Lutz hasn’t forgiven Dennis Allen. The New Orleans Saints head coach traded the former Pro Bowl kicker to the Denver Broncos before this season, where Lutz has gone on to win recognition as AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in November. He previously won the award with the Saints as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September 2018.

Lutz connected on all 11 of his field goal tries in November, leading the AFC, with his 36 kicking points ranking second-best in the conference. On the year so far he’s 24 of 26 on field goals with a success rate of 92.3%, which is his best rate since the 2018 season. He’s also hit 18 of his 20 extra point attempts. Lutz handles kickoffs in Denver, too, where he’s found 52 touchbacks on 56 tries (92.9%).

How does that compare to his replacement Blake Grupe? The rookie is 24 of 30 on field goals this season (and 7 of 9 in November) with a hit rate of 80%. He has connected on all 19 point-after tries, but his touchback rate is just 89.5% (51 of 57). His experience has been a bit of a roller coaster. Dennis Allen’s decision to make a change here hasn’t worked out for the better.

And Lutz is taking notice. After being announced as November’s AFC Special Teams Player of the Month, he had a bit of fun on social media. Keen-eyed Saints fans noticed Lutz had “liked” a series of online posts critical of Allen and calling for his job:

So that might suggest Lutz is in agreement with the “Fire Dennis Allen” movement spreading through Saints communities online. It would be easy to understand why he feels that way after Allen jettisoned him, but continuing to find success with the Broncos might help him look elsewhere.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Saints add an undersized cornerback to their practice squad

The Saints added an undersized cornerback to their practice squad: Shemar Jean-Charles, who has played for the Packers and 49ers:

The New Orleans Saints made an interesting pickup for their practice squad in signing cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, per NewOrleans.Football’s Brooke Kirchhofer. Jean-Charles is undersized by the Saints’ standards at a listed 5-foot-10 and 184 pounds, but they’ve been flexible with those thresholds in the secondary after rigidly sticking to a prototype of about 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds for several years.

So what sets Jean-Charles apart? The former Green Bay Packers fifth-round draft pick has appeared in 25 games through the last three years, though he’s played many more snaps on special teams (371) than on defense (43) between his time in Green Bay and, more recently, the San Francisco 49ers. He’s played on five of the six kicking units in his pro career and at Appalachian State in college. He may have gotten on New Orleans’ radar during joint practices with the Packers last summer.

It makes sense for the Saints to add another defensive back with injuries mounting in the secondary. Top corner Marshon Lattimore is on injured reserve for a few more games and other players like free safety Marcus Maye (shoulder) are banged up, too. If Jean-Charles’ path to playing is on special teams, that’s worth looking into as well. You can never have enough corners.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Will Reichard continues to close in on college football history

Alabama kicker Will Reichard is only 21 points away from becoming the all-time points leader in college football history

Alabama kicker Will Reichard is already the football program’s all-time leading points scorer, but he’s likely got a bigger goal in mind: becoming the all-time college football leader in points.

A native of Hoover, Reichard joined the Crimson Tide in 2019 as one of the nation’s highest-rated kickers. Now in his fifth year with the team, Reichard has amassed a total of 509 points scored.

His freshman season in 2019 got things started with a total of 33 points, then 126 in 2020, followed by his career-high 137 in 2021, he came close last season with 130 and currently has 83 on the 2023 season.

How far away is he from history? Well, he currently sits at No. 3 on the all-time leading points list. He’s 13 points behind Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon, and Reichard is only 21 points behind the first-place spot, currently held by Navy’s Keenan Reynolds.

Only time will tell if Reichard will be able to surpass Reynolds, but with two regular season games, a conference championship, and a bowl game (with the possibility of a national championship appearance, if applicable), things look good for the Alabama native.

He only needs seven field goals, or 21 extra points, or any combination of the two. We can sit here and list out the possibilities, but all that’s important to know is that every time you see Reichard out on that field from now on, remember that he’s getting one step closer to making history.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the 2023 regular season comes to a close.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend celebrates 27th birthday

#Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday, November 12.

The Kansas City Chiefs special teams unit has been one of the best in the NFL this season, and punter Tommy Townsend’s efforts to flip field position have played a large part in the squad’s success in 2023.

Townsend, now in his fourth year with the Chiefs, celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday, marking yet another trip around the sun for the All-Pro punter.

A consistent presence for Kansas City on Sundays, Townsend has cemented himself as one of the league’s top punters in recent seasons and is known as one of the Chiefs’ most coveted assets on special teams.

In addition to his role as Kansas City’s punter, Townsend also serves as the team’s holder on field goals and has been stellar in his time helping Harrison Butker nail three-point tries since joining the Chiefs as Dustin Colquitt’s successor in 2020.

Though he won’t be on the field in Week 10 as Kansas City takes its bye, fans can expect to see Townsend back in action against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 20.

Commanders P Tress Way named NFC special teams player of the week

Tress Way wins yet another award.

On Wednesday, Washington Commanders punter Tress Way was named the NFC special teams player of the week for Week 9.

In Washington’s 20-17 win over the New England Patriots, Way punted five times, averaging 47.8 yards per punt, but most importantly, pinned New England inside its own 20-yard line four different times. His four punts inside the 20 were the most in the NFL in Week 9.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin mentioned Way’s importance to the win after Sunday’s game.

Per Washington PR, Way has moved into third place in NFC history for the number of times a punter has won this award. Also, Way and Matt Turk are the only two punters in franchise history to win multiple NFC special teams player of the week awards, and the pair are also the only two punters in team history to win at least one NFC special teams player of the month award.

Way, 33, has been Washington’s punter since 2014. He’s been named to the Pro Bowl twice and was a second-team All-Pro on one occasion.