AB-Punt Returns

I think he fair catches more and fields less than what he once did. I don’t have any stats to back this up. I’ve been kind of scratching my head, came up with something that sounds far-fetched at first....but not to a stats-driven maniac like AB.

Catches and Yards are the numbers that he’s built his career on-Punt return Yards eat into those potential numbers.

Why risk getting blown up on a PR, and better yet-why eat into your possible completions and yards from Ben when you can just fair catch or not field the punt.

 

AB doesn't seem to interested in returning punts anymore.

 

Agree with all about AB punt returns. Looks like he just wants to fair catch everything. Still cant believe we dont have anyone on the roster that could catch punts and wants to run for additional yards. There was one punt yesterday that no one was within 10 to 15 yards away and he just did another fair catch

 

Well they sure haven't given the chance back to Rogers since he has been back.

Brown screwed up bad on the one at midfield last night. He should have returned that one no one was even close to him, he could of easily take that to the 35-40 yard line of the Lions.

 

Are you suggesting Brown fair-catches punts to give his team poorer field position? So drives are longer and he might get more receiving yards?


Perhaps he’s been instructed to fair-catch as the default, unless he sees a huge opportunity...? On most punts, the coverage has looked fairly good against us.

 

Yeah, Brown does appear to be content with fair catching punts more this year than in years past. I can’t say that I mind though. Returns (both kick and punt) to me always seem more risk than reward for the receiving team. The amount of holding and block in the back penalties drive me insane. Every time a kick returner comes out of the end zone only to get gang tackled at the 17 yard line I want to throw a remote through the TV. Take the ball at the 25!

 

I did indicate that my thoughts on this were perhaps “far-fetched”. But there have been clear opportunities for AB to return punts that he’s signaled for a F/C, and just let others go. I’m not saying his sole purpose is to give us bad field position, but would he have more opportunities for Yds/Rcpts with that mindset? Clearly his motivator-see sideline cooler antics.

Or he is being instructed to fair catch the ball unless there’s nobody within 10-15 yds of him.

 

I can deal with the fair catches when he could get a return, but he lets too many balls hit and bounce away. This team has gotten nothing from its return game for far too long, and that isn't all on Brown.