Special Teams Look Solid in Debut
by Anthony21 on Aug 15, 2009 1:38 PM CDT
in Vikings
7 comments
Something that shouldn't be overlooked from Friday: The Vikings were clicking on special teams from start to finish. After a horrible 2008 season that featured the Vikes giving up 14.9 yards per punt return (good enough for 32nd place in the NFL) while allowing seven total touchdowns on special teams (good enough for an NFL record), things looked quite a bit better on Friday night.
The kickoff coverage was tremendous, as not a single Indy kickoff return went for beyond 18 yards. And although a decent punt return was given up late in the game, it was coming off a 58 yard Chris Kluwe punt.
Meanwhile, Jaymar Johnson was competent but unspectacular in his role as punt returner. He never displayed an ability to make the first defenders miss, and as a result finished the game with an 8.3 yard average on five returns. But more than anything, I want someone dependable back there fielding punts. Someone who won't turn the ball over. He might not break the big play, but Johnson at least seems to be a reliable returner.
The big question is how Percy Harvin fits into the punt and kickoff return games. He's been shaky in Mankato when fielding punts, but he has shown improvement and was also taking many kickoff returns during camp.
But going back to Friday's game, it didn't take long to establish the two key players on the kickoff and punt coverage units: Eric Frampton and Heath Farwell. All three of Frampton's tackles came on special teams (oh, by the way, he also nabbed the Vikings' lone interception of the game). And with Farwell back on the field, the difference between Friday and last season was like night and day. Not only do both Frampton and Farwell give the Vikings an excellent shot of not being lousy on special teams again -- they give the special teams a shot of actually being good.
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I want someone dependable back there fielding punts. Someone who won't turn the ball over.
I heard that. I don’t care if we get shitty field position so much, just don’t turn the ball over!
Go Vikes!
Wrong Stat
Every site has the INT stat wrong. Frampton did not have a pick. It was some Roberson guy I’ve never heard of. Abdulla was solid but he was also involved in the overly aggressive play that hurt Harvin in practice. Coaches will probably be looking for an excuse to cut his ass.
The Wisdom of Teams
The 2008 special teams fiasco was not just the result of injuries or weak coaching. Like an orchestra, a football team requires all the players to be on the same page; otherwise, the performance goes badly and people from the audience start asking for a refund on their tickets. Players need to execute their assignments properly. If the player does not remember his assignment (or indeed even which times he’s supposed to be on the field), does not really know what covering a lane actually means (although he’s been told countless times), or does not kick the ball where requested (even if that is a difficult task), then the special teams strategy, no matter how well it had been designed, will fall on its butt. As old Coach Ben Franklin was wont to say, we must all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. There’s a lot to be said for doing the right thing at the right time.
Speaking of which, run the films and launch an NFL Inquisition: Someone in the official scoring room needs to be flogged for missing the play. After all, Derrick from Rutgers is fighting for a job. The interception is by #27 not #37.
Jaymar returns
One thing that remains to be seen is whether he’ll call for a fair catch when prudent.
I was disappointed that he didn’t seem to make any attempt to juke the defenders. At the speed of the return game, a little fake can get the defender offbalance pretty quick and by the time the defender reacts, the return guy could be by him already. A guy that has the primary punt return responsibility ought to be studying film of the best in the business and do everything they can to emulate those exceptional players.
On the kickoff return, I was amazed at how fast Jaymar got up to full speed compared to Reynauld.
In other NFC North news
Detroit beat Atlanta and the Bears blew.
by VikingBillArlingtonVA on Aug 15, 2009 11:01 PM CDT reply actions
Kudos for Kluwe!
Don’t forget Chris Kluwe, he finally seemed to figured out what he needed to do this off-season. He was getting excellent hang-time and his accuracy is greatly improved. What a difference that made!
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!
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