Special Teams Review: Jets vs Lions
The most unpredictable aspect of last night's game was probably how well the special teams unit performed.
Let's review the key contributions...
Return game - Forgot about Dre
ANDRE ROBERTS basically won the return man job by default, but he's been a great returner over the years and showcased those abilities yesterday. It wasn't just on his 78-yard touchdown return - the Jets' first since Jeremy Kerley had one against the Bills on opening day six years ago. Roberts also had 16 and 43 yard returns.
Last year, the Jets second longest return all season was only 17 yards, with the longest being a 25-yarder by Kalif Raymond.
As noted this morning, TRENTON CANNON and BRANDON COPELAND had the key blocks on Roberts' touchdown, but the block TERRENCE BROOKS had on his 43-yarder was arguably even better. He basically took three guys out on this play:
Roberts didn't have much success on his two kickoff returns, both of which were in the first minute. JJ WILCOX was called for a holding penalty on one of them.
Kicking game - Plenty to ad-Myers
New kicker JASON MYERS was essentially flawless in his first game of the season, which was welcome with the Lions missing two field goals. If the team has any thoughts of signing DAN BAILEY now they won't be on the hook for his entire salary if he doesn't stick, they might reconsider following a game where Myers made all eight of his kicks and had touchbacks on all nine of his kick-offs.
Punter LACHLAN EDWARDS had a bit of a shank in garbage time, but that was a rare negative for the special teams unit. His other two punts were downed inside the 10.
Kick coverage - Zero Coverage
In this game, the Jets failed to record a single special teams tackle in coverage, because the kicking game did a good way of keeping the ball away from the return men.
Primary gunner CHARONE PEAKE contributed as he downed a punt inside the five yard line, though.
The unit as a whole will receive a boost when the likes of JOSH MARTIN (soon) and RONTEZ MILES (in a few months) can return from injury and also when KEVIN PIERRE-LOUIS and RASHARD ROBINSON return from their suspensions, assuming they are added back to the roster. Pierre-Louis could be back on the 53 as early as today.