Danny Smith

If you watch this game and others over the past few seasons you will see how our Special Teams play has been less than stellar, today was a day that I thought penalties would cost is the game potentially
I never thought Coach Smith was a great pick, never thought much of him when he was the coach in Washington. Can someone explain to me what Tomlin sees in this guy. I wish we could bring the former Jets special teams coach Mike Westoff out of retirement...now that guy could coach, thoughts?

 

I was ready to call for his firing when I heard we had 12 men on the field and then I saw that it was AB's fault.

 

He aint that bad. No way do you replace him for anyone much better.

 

He was after all named the 20th best Special Teams Coach of all time.

 

Our special teams needs to be better if we want to be a championship team

 

I wish we could have gotten Rich Bisaccia- now with Dallas- any of the times he was available. And I'm not just saying that because I taught his cousin's kids, either.

 

I don't think I've seen this many ST penalties in a long, long, time. Maybe never.

Why even bother running kickoffs out of the endzone, or running punts back when there seems to be a penalty on every play.

 

Yea, what do you think that was all about. Was AB pissed that Ben didn't pass to him on the previous 3rd play? Or am I making too much of it.?

 

Not sure, but that was inexcusable! AB is a great player but he's maddeningly frustrating at times.

 

AB was probably pissed that Green had better stats than him

 

He is a good coach. His last team had highly ranked special teams.

If your team depth is lacking so will be your special teams play.

 

I agree. The stupid penalties. I think if the ball is kicked into the end zone we should just take a knee. Even if we do make it to the 25, which is never, there is a 10 yard holding penalty and we start at the 15 or 10 or whatever. Absolutely dumb to take it out. I think AB has been a solid decision maker as far as calling for a fair catch or taking a shot. I really wish we could find someone else to return punts when the situation isn't important. I am so afraid that AB takes a shot and get hurt.

 

I thought Smith has done a pretty good job. Boswell and Berry have been good additions and the coverage teams have been adequate. There seems to have been a regression in some areas this year though, I will give you that. A blocked kick, some crazy fakes, bad substitutions and onside attempts etc.

Special teams are always a penalty magnet though in regards to holding and blocks in the back. I have to put that on the players imo, especially blocks in the back. It's so easy to avoid even at the last minute, yet they seem to continue doing it. And frankly they could call holding on every play in the NFL. Doubly so for kick returns as they are such a wide open format, where you have players spread out all over the field and the coverage team running down at full speed with the return team trying their best to block. So many more opportunities for the refs to see a hold as opposed to a bunched up L.O.S. Very tough to gauge the STs coach with those two penalties imo. Too many men on the field, formation penalties etc are a whole different story. The coach has to get those squared away.

 

Same thoughts here about not running the ball back on kickoffs.

Why can`t Tomlin see it and put an end to it? It will be a big plus if we just take a knee.

I remember hearing a report that Belicheat figured it out and was intentionally kicking the ball short of the end zone to screw the opposition, but that defies the intention of the player safety rule to give a touch-back on the 25 yard line. I don`t know if he stopped doing it when the NFL noticed.

 

or an INT
AM I RIGHT?