Special teams. It's inevitable.
It doesn't matter the season. It doesn't matter the coach. It doesn't matter how close the Green Bay Packers are to victory. When it matters the most, you just know a special teams nightmare will ruin their season.
Understandably, the blame often falls on Rich Bisaccia's shoulders. There's clearly a disconnect between Packers fans' feelings toward Bisaccia and the team's confidence in him. That extends to John Kuhn, who, appearing on the Wisconsin Sports Radio Network, expressed confidence in the veteran special teams coach. And, to Kuhn's credit, he makes a compelling argument.
"Get ready to post this and quote this and p--- everybody off again, but I like Rich Bisaccia," Kuhn said, "I like what he does as a special teams coordinator. I like how he coaches. I like his mindset. I like his demeanor. I like his attitude. You want a guy with grit? He's got grit. He's got plenty of grit. He'll get after a guy. He'll chew their a-- out."
As Kuhn points out, that's the exact mindset we all want from the coaching staff. For this team to have more of an edge, more nastiness. The key, in Kuhn's opinion, is for the Packers to provide Bisaccia with the necessary tools.
"I need Rich Bisaccia to be given his full arsenal. Give him all the bullets for his gun, because until you allow him to play some starters or even some major backups, this is what you're going to get," said Kuhn. "Give him dedicated punt and kick returners, and give him a kicker that's going to make the damn kicks. Give him that stuff, and I think Rich Bisaccia will be just fine."
John Kuhn defends Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia (but he needs backing)
Kuhn does make a great point. A significant part of the Packers' problem is their lack of commitment.
It's why they failed on special teams before Bisaccia and had to spend big to hire him. Unfortunately, it's also why many of those issues still exist.
Brandon McManus missing three kicks in the playoffs isn't Bisaccia's fault. It's hard for a special teams coordinator to coach a veteran kicker to convert in pressure moments. Just as it wasn't Bisaccia's fault that Romeo Doubs botched the onside kick in Chicago. Doubs was in the correct position, but he failed to make the play.
Perhaps there's an argument that Matthew Golden, who has arguably the best hands of any Packers receiver, should've been in the primary position on that side of the field. Still, Bisaccia trusted his veteran receiver on the hands team, and that's reasonable.
As Kuhn notes, general manager Brian Gutekunst didn't give Bisaccia a dedicated returner. Keisean Nixon made two All-Pro teams but publicly stated he didn't want to return kicks anymore, and the Packers obliged. That's not on Bisaccia. That falls on Matt LaFleur and his decision to take Nixon off return duties, and on Brian Gutekunst for not adding a specialist returner (or a CB1, for that matter).
It's The Packer Way. They had Mecole Hardman on the summer 90-man roster, but he needed to offer something on offense to have a shot at the final 53. He was never going to make the team just for special teams.
It's why Green Bay had nine different returners this season, including Doubs and Golden. Savion Williams might be the long-term answer, but again, that's in addition to playing a role on offense.
The Packers did OK in kick and punt coverage. Per Pro Football Reference, Green Bay ranked No. 15 in average kick return yards allowed and No. 19 in average punt return yards allowed — not great, but not awful, either. Bisaccia's unit didn't allow too many game-changing returns. He deserves blame for that, but it's also fair to call out the personnel.
Of course, the special teams mistakes add up.
According to Team Rankings, 2.78 percent of the Packers' field goals were blocked. They were also called for 22 special teams penalties, the 10th-most in the league (per NFL Penalties). McManus missed 20 percent of his field goals.
He had a field goal blocked in a three-point defeat to Cleveland, and a PAT blocked the following week in a 40-40 tie at Dallas. McManus missed field goals in three-point losses to Carolina and Philadelphia, and his three misses at Chicago cost Green Bay seven points in a game they lost by four.
Kuhn's point, though, is that many of these problems don't fall on Bisaccia, including the kicking. Why don't the Packers break out big-time returns? Because they don't commit to signing a returner. Green Bay discovered Nixon's All-Pro talent by accident, not by design.
Most Packers fans want a change in coaching, and it's hard to argue with that. There are too many self-inflicted mistakes and penalties. But the special teams woes preceded Bisaccia, and they will succeed him, too.
The only way the Packers can truly upgrade on special teams is by investing in talent. Add a consistent kicker and an All-Pro returner to this team, and it would look very different. And that's before even thinking about blocking kicks and punts.
LaFleur faces a big decision on Bisaccia. It's hard to argue if he decides to move on, but Kuhn raises some good points. The harsh reality of the Packers' special teams problems is that they run far deeper than the coach.