2014 Bears Special Teams Ranks 26th overall

[Newblood]

"Your anguished eyes weren’t deceiving you while you watched the Bears play special teams last season. Their struggles have been quantified by The Dallas Morning News’ Rick Gosselin, who ranked the Bears’ special teams unit 26th overall in 2014."

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/01/23/durkin-bears-special-teams-ranked-26th-overall/

Not really anything we didn't already know. But our new special teams coordinator was ranked 19th overall. That's an improvement right?

 

[didshereallysaythat]

ST was the only coach who was not an exciting hire. He is not a bad hire, but it doesn't jump out like all the others. It would have been awesome to get Toub back though.

 

[Newblood]

ST was the only coach who was not an exciting hire. He is not a bad hire, but it doesn't jump out like all the others. It would have been awesome to get Toub back though.

That would have made quite the all-star cast. But if I had to sacrifice a coordinator, it would be special teams. Though I won't be so willing to admit that during the 2015 season if returners are scoring TDs on us and we can't get the ball past the 10.

 

[BringBackDitka54]

I thought we were way worse than 26th. Everytime something good happened on special teams, there was a flag thrown.

 

[didshereallysaythat]

I thought we were way worse than 26th. Everytime something good happened on special teams, there was a flag thrown.

Their coverage unit was not that bad. The return unit was historically bad though. Overall, I could see 26th.

 

[Newblood]

Their coverage unit was not that bad. The return unit was historically bad though. Overall, I could see 26th.

I believe the return unit got better towards the end of the season.

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

It seemed like they got better over the course of the season. They went from comically inept to horrible.

 

[PolarBear]

I actually thought our ST's failure was our biggest problem. Consistent bad field position.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

People want to look at ST failures on 'big plays' - ala Green Bay on Sunday (fake punt TD, onside kick), but it's the day to day, routine stuff that matters.

Yes, we saw offsides penalties and even a DEFENSIVE (huh?) holding call on a punt against GB.

The bigger issues were that nearly every return featured a hold or illegal block in the back. In addition, blocking was terrible. Mariani showed some sparks at the end of the season, but when the majority of kickoffs - not punts, but kickoffs, start inside the 15 yard line, with many inside the 10, things get compounded. Add to that, O'Donnell being bad for the first 2/3s of the season.

- Kickoff - returner takes it out the 16.
- Holding - half the distance. Drive starts at the 8.
- Run up the middle on first down for gain of 3 to the 11. 2nd and 7
- False start on WR or Bushrod. Ball backed up to 6. 2nd and 12.
- Forte to the right for 5 to the 11. 3rd and 7.
- WR screen for 4 yards to the 15. 4th and 3.
- O'Donnell punting from his own 3 yard line. 40 yard punt.
- Opposing team starts the drive at Bears 48.

Sound familiar?

 

[MassHavoc]

There wasn't a kickoff all year that the fucknuts didn't think was a good idea to take out of the endzone for 7 yards.

 

[MontanaBear]

There wasn't a kickoff all year that the fucknuts didn't think was a good idea to take out of the endzone for 7 yards.

There was a vast improvement when we switched to Mariani however....

 

[sam slocum]

People want to look at ST failures on 'big plays' - ala Green Bay on Sunday (fake punt TD, onside kick), but it's the day to day, routine stuff that matters.

Yes, we saw offsides penalties and even a DEFENSIVE (huh?) holding call on a punt against GB.

The bigger issues were that nearly every return featured a hold or illegal block in the back. In addition, blocking was terrible. Mariani showed some sparks at the end of the season, but when the majority of kickoffs - not punts, but kickoffs, start inside the 15 yard line, with many inside the 10, things get compounded. Add to that, O'Donnell being bad for the first 2/3s of the season.

- Kickoff - returner takes it out the 16.
- Holding - half the distance. Drive starts at the 8.
- Run up the middle on first down for gain of 3 to the 11. 2nd and 7
- False start on WR or Bushrod. Ball backed up to 6. 2nd and 12.
- Forte to the right for 5 to the 11. 3rd and 7.
- WR screen for 4 yards to the 15. 4th and 3.
- O'Donnell punting from his own 3 yard line. 40 yard punt.
- Opposing team starts the drive at Bears 48.

Sound familiar?

Too Familiar. Did we have a game all season that didn't have this scenario happen at least once, I'm drawing a blank?

 

[Toast88]

We're not last!!

 

[onebud34]

Rick being kind to his old buddy?

It's hard to believe that there were 6 teams worse the Bears.

 

[Bearly]

Rank seems appropriate.

 

[modo]

Bears were 3rd to last in starting field position........30% of all the Bears offensive drives started inside the 20 yard line.....

That is putting yourself in a hole and not doing the offense any favors. The only teams worse were the Redskins and Raiders.

 

[The Hawk]

I do think that the guy who came in as a returner in mid season did a pretty good job. Forget his name but he did make the first guy miss pretty consistently

 

[pseudonym]

19 is better than 26.

 

[The Hawk]

19 is better than 26.

I see that you like a younger woman

 

[OnemanWolfpack]

I don't know how these rankings are determined. Remember that Matt Prater, Denver's star kicker from 2013, got suspended and eventually cut at the beginning of the 2014 season. I know they had to switch kickers at least once and maybe twice eventually settling on Conner Barth. That can have quite an effect on a special teams unit.... and he still finished higher than Joe D. Does anybody know Denver's ranking from 2013?