Once again we managed to win in spite of poor special teams play. Our punting is simply horrendous. And I don't know what Westhoff was thinking about telling Feely to make short "directional" kicks. Every time he did that Rivers started at about midfield. Our defense played outstanding and we were able to dodge the bullet this time, but we can't let great QBs have the ball at around midfield to start with. Manning will surely make us pay for this. Special teams need to get their act together. Defense cannot keep bailing us out.
I agree about the deliberately short kickoffs, but I would call that a coaching failure (i.e., Westhoff), not a special teams failure. I also think you're being too hard on Weatherford - he wasn't overwhelmingly great, but he was hardly simply horrendous. His first punt and last punt were not good at all, but here were his other kicks, and they don't look so bad to me. Scifres was certainly better, but that's not a surprise. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jets look to replace him, but he actually wasn't bad today overall.
what I would do to have a punter like Scifres! And a kickoff specialist that can get consistent touch backs
Weatherford was fine today Feely was excellent as usual The special teams have been simply OK, but I'm not exactly alarmed... Westhoff is awesome
Feely only had that one bad kickoff at the end if I'm not mistaken. All of the other ones were pretty good
Weatherford's last punt was partially blocked. That is not his fault. Let's also remember that he: punted well all season is fast as hell and an asset on fake punts has been battling a bad hammy endured a medical crisis this week
We've got to replace him for sure. First and last punts constitute for 25% of his work today. No punt should be that bad, not one. He gave 2 gifts to Rivers, and it's not like he was stellar on other kicks either. I am afraid against Manning if he gives him 2 gifts like that, we will be in huge trouble.
As noted above, the last kick was tipped, which isn't his fault, and I would say several of his kicks certainly were stellar: 49 yards to SD 20, out of bounds; 29 yards to SD 9, 3 yard return; 51 yards to SD 4, downed by Jets.
I said it once, and I'll say it again: That pooch kick in the 4th quarter was DUMB. You got it... All caps DUMB. You do that against Peyton and he will get 12 points for one damn touchdown.
Special teams have not been special this year. This is where we miss Leon but that is not the whole problem. Coverage and kicking has been poor with the exception of Feely on FGs. Play calling was unimaginative and reverted back to poor. Defense carried this game without question. Regardless, we won. Let's hope both other areas are stronger next week.
I see your point, but the blocked kick is special team failure regardless. So, he botched one kick, and another kick the coverage botched. This is simply not going get it done in Indianapolis. Every kick should be decent. We cant have 25% of our kicks ending up in the midfield area for Manning. And shot kick offs are total BS.
The thing is though that field position doesn't matter with Manning. He can march 100 yards down a field and get it done. Or he can be given the ball on your 35 and turn it over in one play. That's why he's a riddle wrapped in an enigma, and at the end of the day he tends to seal the deal whether you've got a giant leg with a helmet attached or the coaches teenage daughter out there punting the ball.
Field position matters. I know Manning can go for 100 yards. But it is A LOT easier for him to get 50.
Besides the 29 yard punt that landed inside the 10 yard line (which is what we expected from Weatherford), all Weatherford punts were pretty good with close to no return on almost all of them. I know he can punt it 60 yards, but I'd take the 40 yard punts with no return any time of the game. Net avg. is what matters the most.
Kaeding makes 69 field goals in a row under 40 yards. He had missed only once from that distance since...you guessed it... against the Jets in the last playoff. Today, he misses 2 from that range. Amazing. One of many, many things...
Weatherford had one poor punt- his 1st one. his great punt inside the 5 set up the Leonhard INT. We did a good job on coverage, I wish we didn't squib kick it late but we did. STs were good yesterday.
