Special Teams Review: Jets-Buffalo

We've been breaking down this week's game. We conclude today's postgame analysis with a look at the special teams.

Let's review the key contributions...

Kicking game - A big old Goose Greg

After all the nonsense this week about the Greg Joseph signing, Anders Carlson being benched and Greg Zuerlein being activated from injured reserve, the Jets didn't actually use a placekicker all day, despite having Zuerlein active. Instead, punter Thomas Morstead kicked off, they didn't attempt any field goals and they went for two on both touchdowns.

Morstead had one touchback on a kickoff but his other two kickoffs and a free kick were returned. He also punted three times with one beauty downed at the one, but he outkicked his coverage on a 56-yarder.

Return game - Ruck-ed it all up

Xavier Gipson had punt returns of 12 and 13 yards and a 45-yard kickoff return but the latter was negated by a Jeremy Ruckert illegal block in the back after Gipson had made a nice move to bounce it out to the left.

On the first punt return, Brandin Echols was initially flagged for an illegal block in the back but the officials picked that up as he did a good job of contacting his man in the side. Marcelino McCrary-Ball missed his block though.

The other punt return saw Isaiah Oliver beaten downfield by the gunner but Gipson span out of a tackle. Oliver was also beaten, along with Deuce Carter on another punt which Gipson allowed to bounce near the goal line. This was downed at the five-yard line.

Isaiah Davis also returned a kickoff out to the 28 with Chazz Surratt making a decent block.

McCrary-Ball had an illegal formation penalty on one of the four Bills touchbacks.

Kick coverage - Getting all their ducks in a Monroe

The Jets used Jarius Monroe and Malachi Corley as their primary gunners this week with Monroe impressing on one play where he downed the ball at the goal line. However, he also had a penalty for running out of bounds and overpursued on another punt to enable Brandon Codrington to spin out of his tackle. Monroe did also add a good tackle on a kickoff though.

Corley got downfield well on one punt but tried to bring down the return man and missed the diving tackle attempt.

Once again it was Davis who made good contributions in coverage with two good special teams tackles and he is now tied for second place on the team with seven on the year. One came on the free kick as the return man was forced laterally with Surratt, Ashtyn Davis and Sam Eguavoen stretching it out. The other came on the punt where Corley missed the tackle.

Tony Adams made an important tackle in the open field after Ty Johnson broke a kickoff return to near midfield, although he was dragged for about 10 extra yards. McCrary-Ball was blocked out of that play.

Finally, Braelon Allen made an important open field tackle on Codrington's long return. Surratt missed a tackle and Thomas Hennessy was blocked off on the play.

We'll be back with the 3-on-D and 3-on-O over the next few days...