Special Teams Breakdown

by Garrettham on Sep 21, 2009 4:28 PM EDT

Hey guys,

I have been reading the site for a while, and I just recently decided to join. I, like I am sure many of you, have been noticing a considerable lack of Special Teams play. I admit I have not been a big Danny Crossman fan. My dislike with him actually started with the Chris Gamble tossback fumble against the Vikings back in 2006. Anyway, I decided to do a little research on the Crossman era (2003 to current) as it relates to Special Teams Stats and here is what I found...

Statistic Carolina Panthers Opponents

Kick Return Average 21.4 yards 22.9 yards

Kick Return TD's 1 TD 0 TD

Punt Return Average 9.0 yards 14.7 yards

Punt Return TD's 1 TD 5 TD

Blocked Punts 2 blocks 9 blocks

Blocked Kicks 13 blocks (Peppers - 8) 4 blocks

Now I found these stats using NFL.com and ESPN.com. The punt return average stat is a bit skewed by the current 2009 average of 53.0 yards allowed per punt, but to me they show the Panthers being consistently out performed and out schemed by our opponents in Special Teams. I did not put field goal percentage or punt average in here because I believe that Crossman is being carried the individual statistics of Kasay and Baker to a large extent (again this may be my dislike of Crossman coming in to play). What do you guys think?

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Comments

Welcome to the blog Garrettham

I’m glad you decided to join and contribute.

Your analysis is very telling. I haven’t been a fan of Crossman’s either but I was thinking he was new here in 2006 or maybe even 2007. We were fairly satisfied in 2008 to be middle of the pack but why should be not expect a Top 10 unit? The punt returns are most telling.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Sep 21, 2009 4:48 PM EDT reply actions

2005 was his first year as ST coach.

That year, his units finished 9th in the league based on the Dallas Morning News rankings. Last year, they were 12th. In ‘08, they were 18th. I can’t find the ‘06 or ’07 rankings in the archives, but I’m struck with the notion that they weren’t bottom-feeding in those seasons either. If the coach hasn’t changed, one would imagine it’s a personnel issue, not a structural/systematic one.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Sep 21, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

"Last year, they were 12th. In ‘08, they were 18th."

by bigdavis on Sep 21, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Pardon my error.

The second should have read ’07. I read the publication date of the article, which came out in winter ’08 after the season had concluded.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Sep 21, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey, can we get some more recs for this one?

We need to keep an eye on special teams and this is good benchmark data

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Sep 22, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Crossman started as a coach in 2003

Crossman became the Head Special Teams coach in 2005, but he started as a coach in 2003. I agree that we have neglected Special Teams personnel, but the amount of allowed blocked kicks and allowed punt return TDs would hint that there is a schematic issue as much as anything else.

by Garrettham on Sep 21, 2009 6:26 PM EDT reply actions

exactamundo

by bigdavis on Sep 21, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

So he's now liable for the issues of a unit which he wasn't even in charge of?

Should we point the finger at Sam Mills III because the defense played like dog$hit on Sunday?

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Sep 21, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Although if you ARE going to...

They were 2nd in the NFL in ST play in ’03, his first year.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Sep 21, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Another victim of the Peppers contract?

Real special teamers…not just the guys at the end of the bench.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Sep 21, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Factual.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Sep 22, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I still say...

Personnel isn’t the only issue. Almost every special teams coach has to go with the guys at the end of the bench. The point is that you have to coach them to properly execute for you as a unit on kickoffs and punts and protection. I just don’t get the sense Crossman has done a very good job in those specific phases of special teams. Hence, the number of TDs we’ve given up to opponents in that phase of the game.

by NSpicer on Sep 22, 2009 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions

All we can hope for is that they correct these mistakes this week with an extra day. ST really put the D in a bad way in that first half and we can’t afford that against the Girls.

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Sep 21, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions