Green Bay Packers: Wild Card round special teams recap
By Kenn Korb
The coverage units
Punts:
- Downed (NYG 38)
- Fair Catch (NYG 11)
- 0 yard return (NYG 34)
- 3 yard return (NYG 8)
- 1 yard return (NYG 8)
- Downed (NYG 26)
Kickoffs:
- 24 yard return (NYG 28)
- 31 yard return (NYG 32)
- No Gain (NYG 3)
- Touchback
- 24 yard return (NYG 33)
- 24 yard return (NYG 24)
Speaking of Janis, wow did he show up here.
Janis may have done a decent job on the return unit, but he was a lightning bolt for the coverage unit all evening. Schum did have a great night with his punts, but the biggest reason the three attempted returns went pretty much nowhere was because Janis arrived immediately each time to stonewall the returner.
With quickness and power he hit his man, and textbook technique he took down the returner before he could go anywhere each and every time.
It wasn’t only Janis who did well though; that praise should be showered on the whole unit.
That’s especially so for the punt coverage guys, who along with allowing just 4 return yards on 6 total punts were able to help pin three punts at or behind the Giants’ 11 yard line.
The kick coverage group wasn’t as sterling, but against a team which employed not only a quality return man in Dwayne Harris but also decided to throw the dynamic Odell Beckham Jr. back there for multiple attempts, giving up no worse than a couple starting drive points close to the Giants’ 35 yard line is pretty good — especially considering their kicker managed just a single touchback in 6 kickoffs.
It hasn’t happened often with this team over the years — and most times when it has, it’s been for negative reasons — but this particular game was one where I was constantly aware and fully feeling the impact of Green Bay’s special team unit in real-time.
Most often, the re-watching and studying after the fact really help to form and paint the picture of what usually becomes a benign or passable performance.
This time, no such waiting delay was necessary, and if anything the opinion I gleaned from the live telecast viewing has only gained power.
It was simply an excellent performance overall from this special teams group to help put their team in position to advance further in the playoffs.
Now, Green Bay just has to hope this sort of showing carries over against yet another challenging special teams group in Dallas.