Special teams can make a huge impact on any game. Which is why, for the biggest of games, we’ll take a closer look at how these teams do on those plays that you often change the channel for.
Fittingly, we’ll start with the “stars” of special teams: the kickers and punters.
New England
Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski – The second-year Memphis product has done as good a job as you can filling Adam Vinatieri’s shoes. He’s 41-for-50 since joining the league. Gostkowski might not be the best option for a long one (he’s only attempted one 50-yarder in his career), and we’re yet to see what he’ll do under Vinatieri-like pressure.
Punter: Chris Hanson – Oh, to be the punter for the best offence in NFL history. Obviously, the veteran was seldom used in 2007. When he did make appearances, he was one of the worst punters in the league. Hanson didn’t crack the league’s top 25 in average or net average.
New York
Kicker: Lawrence Tynes – The overtime kick against Green Bay turned him from goat to hero, but the Super Bowl storyline has been his brother’s gigantic prison sentence. Sure, Tynes made a huge kick to beat the Packers, but the two missed attempts in regulation have to make Tom Coughlin more than a bit nervous.
Punter: Jeff Feagles – The 41-year-old’s numbers are even worse than Hanson’s, but Feagles is still employed for one primary reason: he’s one of the best in the league at backing teams up with the directional coffin-corner punt.
Quality all over
While most teams toss the scrubs who can’t cut it onto special teams, the Patriots have gone out of their way to bring quality players into the mix. Special teams, to the Patriots, are just as crucial as offence and defence.
Two guys lead the way for the Patriots’ special teams unit:
Kelley Washington: The wide receiver didn’t make a catch all year, but has been an important member of the kick coverage unit. Washington has made more than a few big tackles, and led the team with nine solo special teams tackles.
Against San Diego in the divisional playoffs, Washington made a remarkable leap on a Hanson punt, keeping his feet out of the end zone while swatting the ball back into the field of play. The Pats downed it at the 4-yard line. Five plays later, Philip Rivers was intercepted by Asante Samuel, leading to a New England touchdown.
Larry Izzo: Izzo has never started a game in his career, but he’s been to three Pro Bowls. The unit’s captain has been one of the best special teams players in the league for seven years running. He closes lanes like nobody else.
Not many teams can claim to have guys like Washington and Izzo on their special teams units.
Of course it’s no secret that special teams are crucial to an NFL team’s success. The Giants aren’t too shabby either, with one guy in particular leading the way:
David Tyree: Tyree is a huge contributor. He’s not only a capable receiver, but went to the Pro Bowl in 2005 as a special teamer. Tyree, like his counterpart Izzo, is considered one of the best special teams players in the league.
Returning for history
Would you believe a punt has never been returned for a touchdown in the Super Bowl?
Last year, the opening kickoff went the distance courtesy of Devin Hester.
(In fact, the opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown in both the professional and college national championship games).
But in the 41-year history of the Super Bowl, we’ve never had a punt return touchdown.
Don’t count on it this year.
R.W. McQuarters is a great return man, but he hasn’t returned a punt for a touchdown since 2004. New England punt returner Wes Welker has never had a punt return touchdown.
The Giants haven’t returned a punt for a score since 2005; the Pats since 2001.
Kick returns are another story. These teams both have exceptional guys returning kickoffs.
New England: Ellis Hobbs – Hobbs had one of the best averages in the league, helped by his NFL record 108-yard touchdown return in week 1.
New York: Domenik Hixon – A Denver Bronco for half the season, the Giants snapped him up and made him their kick returner when Ahmad Bradshaw was handed a bigger role in the backfield. In the week 17 game against New England, Hixon returned a kick 73 yards for his first career touchdown. He’s been the primary return man for the Giants on their playoff run.
