Blocked kick

[HarleyHog]

I was watching the highlight replay last night, and on the blocked kick it seemed that the blocker who missed his assignment was wearing #51. That would make it Chris Wilson, a Linebacker. D'ya think maybe that is part of our problem with kick protection? why use a linebacker? why not the Oline, or at least defensive LINEMEN? Maybe i saw things wrong, but a linebacker trying to block is like a bowling ball trying to swim.

Danny Smith needs to go

Have we been using innappropriate personel in ST packages for long?

[Bob 0119]

I would imagine you don't want to waste over half your 11 people tasked with running downfield and tackling a small speedy receiver with five 300lb linemen and a scrawny pumter

Unlike on running plays where they have to open a hole, or passing plays where they have to block for four or more seconds, the special teams line only needs to slow down the rush for three seconds and then everyone needs to run downfield; that would be my guess anyway

[Kilmer72]

There has been many coaches that like Danny. There must be a reason. His coverage teams have always been good. He is just playing the hand he is dealt.

[HarleyHog]

He was in a guard position

[HarleyHog]

He was in a guard position and went left to double the guy there, then turned and looked at the hole the guy had blown thru. Fish out of water

[DarthMonk]

I was watching the highlight replay last night, and on the blocked kick it seemed that the blocker who missed his assignment was wearing #51. That would make it Chris Wilson, a Linebacker. D'ya think maybe that is part of our problem with kick protection? why use a linebacker? why not the Oline, or at least defensive LINEMEN? Maybe i saw things wrong, but a linebacker trying to block is like a bowling ball trying to swim.

Danny Smith needs to go

Have we been using innappropriate personel in ST packages for long?

(Danny Smith) On the blocked field goals last year:

“We had a lot of issues there last year, to be honest with you, and that’s a positive thing. It was a positive thing that it wasn’t one problem. It was here, and it was there, and it was there, and we kept sticking a finger in here, and it happened here, and we kept sticking a finger here, so it was a variety of issues, which makes it a little tougher as far as the correction of it, but yet it’s not one specific thing. Ultimately that’s me, that’s my fault, that’s my job, I take the blame for all of those situations. And we did have issues that we worked on and without point fingers and without being specific as far as different things, ultimately that’s me.”

I know that one can spin anything into a positive, but someone help me understand how Danny believes that what wasn't one problem for the blocks was a positve thing. He later says because it was a variety of issues, it was tougher to correct. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if it was one problem so when you "stick your finger" in there, it gets fixed there.

That was one of the worst displays of special teams in league history. George Allen is probably still turning over in his grave. Joe Gibbs was probably having second thoughts on retiring after watching that. Did Shanny not give special teams the attention that it needed? Afterall Danny is the same ST guy under Gibbs and it was never this bad. It was never this bad under Zorn.

Glad that they are addressing it in camp.

Yeah. Just heard this on the radio. Smith's statements here were kinda like a post by The Squealster - nonsensical.

From a Gano thread:

BTW - we are also #2 in Kickoff in spite of the OOB kicks which were clearly called by Smith and often dribbled out around the 5 yard line. Just stop calling for 'em coach. Actually, maybe our gripe should go higher up. Maybe Shanny needs to see that Special Teams coaching is lacking on Place Kicking Protection as well as in decision making concerning attempting pylon kicks.

DarthMonk

Darthmonk

There has been many coaches that like Danny. There must be a reason. His coverage teams have always been good. He is just playing the hand he is dealt.

Seriously, does Shanny tell him which guys he can use?

[Kilmer72]

Seriously, does Shanny tell him which guys he can use?[/quote]

I would expect that Shanny has the most say yes. Does he tell him to use someone here or there? Maybe, but I am thinking that he (Shanny) drafts and the special teams coach has so many he can incorporate. I remember him complaining about who he had when Joe Gibbs was here. Maybe Danny just really sucks and all these coaches were wrong or maybe he really is doing a good job.

[SkinsJock]

Let's be clear - there are a lot of very savvy NFL guys that consider Danny Smith to be one of the best - let me repeat - to be one of the best ST coaches in the NFL

OK?

you don't have to agree with these guys but that's a fact

[DarthMonk]

Let's be clear - there are a lot of very savvy NFL guys that consider Danny Smith to be one of the best - let me repeat - to be one of the best ST coaches in the NFL

OK?

you don't have to agree with these guys but that's a fact

That's cool and all but we've been getting abused for a long time now on protection and we have 9 or 10 linemen and 3 TEs while "fish out of water" is getting drummed costing us 7 points.

Sometimes good coaches do dumb stuff ... like tell someone with a huge leg to pylon kick. Maybe Shanny told him to stop doing that. Maybe Shanny tells him who he can use on protection. Maybe Shanny tells him who he CAN'T use on protection.

We need to get better there and Danny Smith himself says "my bad."

DarthMonk

[HarleyHog]

I would have hoped that Shanny would have told him "you can't have kicks blocked"

That rush came right up the middle.
Last year it seemed like we the victims of half the blocked kicks league-wide.
Lots of saavy football people believe lots of things.
I believe what I see.
I see recurring lousy blocking on FG and P attempts dating back over a year. That is WAY more than it should take to fix it. I isolated #51 because I wondered whether it was an individual or the scheme. If an individual can't hack it, use ANYBODY else. Danny Smith's value must be assessed on what he has done lately, and frankly, our ST suck. Our good coverage on kicks is due to a couple of excellent gunners and Rocca's booming , hanging kicks. Banks probably would benefit from better blocking schemes. He seems to mostly do his thing of his own accord. With better setup, he could be one of those guys the other team is afraid to kick to, rather than wary.

[skinsfan#33]

That same boxing unit (sort of) cost Gano his job. It would be safe to say this unit will cost Cundiff his job too, but he wil do that on his own.

[oj]

I think of that play as a 'wake-up' call. The special teams guys have lots of pride in what they do and we won't see this kind of thing happening again.
That play woke eveybody up, special teams the defense and look what the offense did to respond. So it actually benefitted the Skins.
I think attention to details this week was priority in special teams and while they lucked out last week they know they won't luck out again and the next miscue will be a gamechanger in thier oppenants favor.
I think Danny Smith is the right guy and he has the guys he wants.

[Bob 0119]

I went back and re-watched that play. I'm wondering if that's the play Sundberg was injured on. You can see him grab his arm after the play.

[Deadskins]

I went back and re-watched that play. I'm wondering if that's the play Sundberg was injured on. You can see him grab his arm after the play.

Yes, it was that play.

[Irn-Bru]

I was watching the highlight replay last night, and on the blocked kick it seemed that the blocker who missed his assignment was wearing #51. That would make it Chris Wilson, a Linebacker. D'ya think maybe that is part of our problem with kick protection? why use a linebacker? why not the Oline, or at least defensive LINEMEN? Maybe i saw things wrong, but a linebacker trying to block is like a bowling ball trying to swim.

Before you roll your eyes, did you actually check whether that's standard practice in the NFL?

I don't actually know what teams typically do one way or the other, but it'd be kind of embarrassing to act like having a LB blocking is the craziest thing if a lot of teams do it.

[PulpExposure]

Another one today. Lol.

[Deadskins]

I think of that play as a 'wake-up' call. The special teams guys have lots of pride in what they do and we won't see this kind of thing happening again.

Uh huh,

[HEROHAMO]

I dont care how we get it done. Just get it done. That is all we ask of our ST coach. Yet for two weeks in a row blunders!! That is enough for us fans to say enough is enough. Get it straightened out.

I have heard of ST coaches being fired mid season. I forget which occasion but I know it has happened a number of times. If this happens three weeks in a row then I think there is no more excuses. Heads or a head must roll!

[skinsfan#33]

10 blocked kicks, extra points, and punts in 18 games, some one needs to answer for that! They already scape hosted Gano, so he is not around to blame it on.

TEN blockes in a little over a season!

(5 blocks on missed FGs, 2 blocks on FGs that made it, 2 punts, and 1 missed extra point)

Worst part is this isn't the end of it. Other ST coaches (you know the ones actually doing their jobs) have seen that we have an old west saloon door as a ST blocking unit and will continue to test them.

[The Hogster]

10 blocked kicks, extra points, and punts in 18 games, some one needs to answer for that! They already scape hosted Gano, so he is not around to blame it on.

TEN blockes in a little over a season!

(5 blocks on missed FGs, 2 blocks on FGs that made it, 2 punts, and 1 missed extra point)

Worst part is this isn't the end of it. Other ST coaches (you know the ones actually doing their jobs) have seen that we have an old west saloon door as a ST blocking unit and will continue to test them.

I agree with this. All of it except Gano being scape goated. When he wasn't having kicks blocked he was missing them or shanking kickoffs out of bounds. But, overall, you are right. The performance of the Special Teams has been putrid under Danny Smith. There is no excuse for such repeated failings. Thing is, there aren't a ton of Special Teams coaches hanging around out there. Who could replace him?

I nominate Brian Mitchell

[skinsfan#33]

10 blocked kicks, extra points, and punts in 18 games, some one needs to answer for that! They already scape hosted Gano, so he is not around to blame it on.

TEN blockes in a little over a season!

(5 blocks on missed FGs, 2 blocks on FGs that made it, 2 punts, and 1 missed extra point)

Worst part is this isn't the end of it. Other ST coaches (you know the ones actually doing their jobs) have seen that we have an old west saloon door as a ST blocking unit and will continue to test them.

I agree with this. All of it except Gano being scape goated. When he wasn't having kicks blocked he was missing them or shanking kickoffs out of bounds. But, overall, you are right. The performance of the Special Teams has been putrid under Danny Smith. There is no excuse for such repeated failings. Thing is, there aren't a ton of Special Teams coaches hanging around out there. Who could replace him?

I nominate Brian Mitchell

Not really suggesting that he gets fired during the season, but MS needs to put his foot up DS' hind end and force him to fix the blocking on kicks and punts and maybe just maybe they could block for a return too.

Maybe MS isn't giving them enough time to practice.

What ever the problem is, it isn't the kicker, they already cut him. Although I do think Roca took too long on that Punt.

Gano misses five kicks last year that weren't blocked and one of those he kicked standing still because the holder gooned up the hold.

Why even try a +50 yard FG (let alone +60) with Cundiff. That is almost the same as taking a knee, because they both have close to the same odds of picking you up the first down. Statistically the play with a better chance of succeeding was to go for it on 4 and 17.

With Cundiff it is foolish to try anything over 50 and real dicey over 45.

[skinsfan#33]

10 blocked kicks, extra points, and punts in 18 games, some one needs to answer for that! They already scape hosted Gano, so he is not around to blame it on.

TEN blockes in a little over a season!

(5 blocks on missed FGs, 2 blocks on FGs that made it, 2 punts, and 1 missed extra point)

Worst part is this isn't the end of it. Other ST coaches (you know the ones actually doing their jobs) have seen that we have an old west saloon door as a ST blocking unit and will continue to test them.

I agree with this. All of it except Gano being scape goated. When he wasn't having kicks blocked he was missing them or shanking kickoffs out of bounds. But, overall, you are right. The performance of the Special Teams has been putrid under Danny Smith. There is no excuse for such repeated failings. Thing is, there aren't a ton of Special Teams coaches hanging around out there. Who could replace him?

I nominate Brian Mitchell

Not really suggesting that he gets fired during the season, but MS needs to put his foot up DS' hind end and force him to fix the blocking on kicks and punts and maybe just maybe they could block for a return too.

Maybe MS isn't giving them enough time to practice.

What ever the problem is, it isn't the kicker, they already cut him. Although I do think Roca took too long on that Punt.

Gano misses five kicks last year that weren't blocked and one of those he kicked standing still because the holder gooned up the hold.

Why even try a +50 yard FG (let alone +60) with Cundiff. That is almost the same as taking a knee, because they both have close to the same odds of picking you up the first down. Statistically the play with a better chance of succeeding was to go for it on 4 and 17.

With Cundiff it is foolish to try anything over 50 and real dicey over 45.