The way the Packers' defense has been casting offenses off the field this season, it feels like 1996 again. Sporting an NFC-leading 8-2 record, this year's team has increasingly drawn comparisons to past Super Bowl teams. While there are plenty of similarities, they don't extend to all aspects of the game.
To win on the game's biggest stage, a team must at least be competent in all three phases of the game. Mike Holmgren's Super Bowl squad finished the season 7th in special teams and validated that ranking with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl XXXI. This year's unit, led by first-year special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton, has some serious ground to cover to reach that level.
Field Goals
Beginning in Week 5, the confidence of once-reliable, Mason Crosby went out the door. Unfortunately, the trend hasn't fully reversed course. This past Sunday's game versus Seattle saw him miss his third field goal in two weeks. It's true that the veteran hasn't been his old self this season, with five of his seven missed field goals soaring wide of the goal posts.
But, a shoddy field goal unit up front hasn't helped matters. Crosby's blocked kick last week in Kansas City was the second of the season and - had it not been for a generous offsides call that negated Joe Haden's blocked field goal-turned-TD in Week 4 - the Packers would be tied for last in the NFL. The basic execution of the O-line protection, snapping and holding is a coachable aspect of special teams that, quite frankly, has not lived up to expectations.
One must also question the Packers' mid-season decision to release former long snapper Hunter Bradley (whom they drafted in 2018) and open up risk of snap + hold dysfunction that seemed to play a role in the first of Crosby's misses in Kansas City. We can only hope that new LS Steven Wirtel begins to gel with the rest of the field goal unit quickly.
Kickoffs
Regardless of whether they win the coin toss or not, the Packers have made a habit of starting games on a bad foot, from the first play. When kicking off, they have had the fourth-lowest touchback percentage in the league (42%), which, to put it in perspective, is half of that of the league leader (Dallas, 84%).
It's unclear whether the kicks falling short of the end zone are by design - with Drayton making a bet that his coverage unit can stop returners short of the 25 - or whether it's Crosby's aging leg. Either way, the result hasn't been pretty: the Packers are second-worst in the league when it comes to return distance allowed (27.3 yards). Pretty starting field position for the opposition has made life that much harder on Joe Barry's defense.
On the flip side, the Packers' own return game hasn't been good. While Drayton's overconfidence in the kickoff game may not be confirmed, it's clearly present in the return game. On more than one occasion this season, KR Kylin Hill chose to field a kick from the end zone. Unfortunately, the last one ultimately ended his 2021 season. Aside from the known injury risk, Drayton's coaching here overlooks the high potential for penalties and fumbles, in exchange for what's usually a few extra yards at best. To no surprise, the Packers are in the bottom third of the NFL in average kick return yards.
A Lone Bright Spot
For all of the things that have gone wrong on special teams this season, the punting game has helped offset some of that pain. Since replacing J.K. Scott in late August, former Los Angeles Ram Corey Bojorquez has flipped field like there's no tomorrow. The lefty ranks second in the league in average net yards per punt, a nice change of pace from the pedestrian legs that have made for a very average Packers' punting unit over the years. To be clear, the success in the punting game is more likely attributable to raw talent that has manifested well with a change in scenery rather than Drayton's coaching.
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