In-depth analysis: Special teams (Week 9 - Buffalo)
Special teams didn't play much of a role in this week's game. However, let's review what went down:
Kicking game - Cooking up a Stew
The Jets almost let the Bills back into the game due to their inability to field an onside kick. The Bills came up with two, although one was negated by a penalty. Obviously, Austin Seferian-Jenkins made a mess of the second one:
However, the first one was perhaps even more troubling because no Jet got near it. Whatever the plan was on that play, they did a terrible job of executing it. I assume it was similar to what happened above with the front line blocking for Seferian-Jenkins to make a clean catch, but he didn't get anywhere near the ball.
Thankfully, ArDarius Stewart finally came up with one before the game got too hairy.
When the Jets were kicking, things went well. Chandler Catanzaro made both his field goals and four extra points. On kick-offs, he had six touchbacks on seven kicks, with the other one being a bizarre squib kick that was returned to the 35 by an up-back.
Lachlan Edwards had a great performance, pinning the Bills inside the 10 twice and inside the 15 two other times. He also had a kick from close to his own goal line with a 50 yard net.
Return game - Knock Knock. Who's there? McGuire. McGuire who? McGuire are you back there returning punts?
Jeremy Kerley suffered an early ankle injury which meant that Elijah McGuire was forced into the punt return role. The rookie doesn't have much experience of fielding punts.
However, he looked comfortable. After taking an early fair catch, he fielded the next one in a crowd and slipped a couple of tackles to make a nice gain. If Kerley is suspended as rumored, that could be McGuire's role full time for the next month.
Kerley's one punt return was frustrating. He fielded the ball at his own 45 with at least 6-7 yards of space ahead of him but went sideways and gained nothing.
On kickoffs, Stewart got past the 25 once but was stopped at the 21 on another.
Kick coverage - Miles ahead
Rontez Miles probably had the best highlight in coverage again, upending the return man with a nice hit in space. Despite missing the first three games, Miles is now ahead of everyone in the NFL for solo tackles on special teams apart from Derrick Coleman.
Josh Martin and Bruce Carter were also credited with special teams tackles but Juston Burris and Jordan Jenkins both overpursued.
Robert Nelson got some work as a gunner, drawing a flag on one play. Burris also did some good gunner work.