So I guess we’re sticking with Blackburn as ST Coordinator?

[Memento]

I said it once, and I'll say it again: I guess we ARE sticking with Chase Blackburn. Love how our special teams has played throughout the year.

All we needed was a solid kicker and gunners. X and Whitt have transformed our return game and are solid on gunner duties as well.

 

[Jacobarch]

Our STs have had a great year.

 

[AZRams]

And here I thought Pharoah Coopers grew on trees...

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Les needs to get him a returner next draft. There is no reason to keep overlooking the returner function. Take a 6th rounder or whatever and spend it on the best returner on the board when that pick is up.

They had Powell and signed the guy from the Giants but they let Powell leave and the other guy was cut. I like Whittington as a returner. I think they need better blocking.

 

[den-the-coach]

All we needed was a solid kicker and gunners. X and Whitt have transformed our return game and are solid on gunner duties as well.

They added Craig Aukerman after Scott Frost left and the special teams seem to take off after that. Jourdan reported that Aukerman was instrumental in getting Jordan Whittington more involved and with Xavier Smith as @Memento so eloquently communicated has made a difference in punt coverage plus the ability to pin teams inside the ten.

Evans has been stellar and Karty has been improving, but I still hold my breath on extra points, not as much on field goals. They seem to work together well Blackburn & Aukerman and maybe next year they might even improve the punt return game too.

 

[Merlin]

They had Powell and signed the guy from the Giants but they let Powell leave and the other guy was cut. I like Whittington as a returner. I think they need better blocking.

Agreed on blocking. But speed and elusiveness are needed specifically on returns.

 

[Corbin]

Our ST's this year were very average rank wise in the middle of the pack. Our punt return yards were dead last. Have no idea how everyone bases " ST's were awesome this year" thoughts.

 

[OldSchool]

Our ST's this year were very average rank wise in the middle of the pack. Our punt return yards were dead last. Have no idea how everyone bases " ST's were awesome this year" thoughts.

Returns yes were dead last that is what happens when you fair catch so many times. Yards per return was bottom third though they were a yard better than last year. And add to that our kick return average went up 10 yards. We also have a good kicker and didn't give up any TD's on teams.

 

[tempests]

Our ST's this year were very average rank wise in the middle of the pack. Our punt return yards were dead last. Have no idea how everyone bases " ST's were awesome this year" thoughts.

Punt coverage has improved substantially, as did Ethan Evans directional kicking. He made a big year one to year two stride. Rams have blocked two PATs, a FG and a punt this year too.

Michael Hoecht, Jordan Whittington, standouts on that unit. Feeling like Karty was a good pick also.

 

[PhillyRam]

Returns yes were dead last that is what happens when you fair catch so many times. Yards per return was bottom third though they were a yard better than last year. And add to that our kick return average went up 10 yards. We also have a good kicker and didn't give up any TD's on teams.

We really don't have a dynamic return guy. Xavier Smith is okay, but not special.

 

[Loyal]

Sean McVay defends Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn: Process over results

Rams coach Sean McVay admits the special teams were not good enough in 2023.

www.nbcsports.com

McVay sites process over results.


I guess we can only get better.

In McVay we trust.

The 2023 NFL Special Teams Rankings - Rick Gosselin

The Houston Texans are again the NFL's best special-teams units

rickgosselin.com

Rank	Team	Points
1	Houston Texans	236
2	New Orleans Saints	252
3	NY Jets	278
4	Las Vegas Raiders	284.5
5	LA Chargers	287.5
6	Seattle Seahawks	300
7	Denver Broncos	302
8	Cincinnati Bengals	311
9	Jacksonville Jaguars	314.5
10	Philadelphia Eagles	322
11	Cleveland Browns	325.5
12	Dallas Cowboys	326.5
13	New England Patriots	337
14	Kansas City Chiefs	342
15	Indianapolis Colts	348
16	Baltimore Ravens	348.5
17	Pittsburgh Steelers	356
18	Arizona Cardinals	356.5
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	360.5
20	Detroit Lions	372
21	Tennessee Titans	388
22	Chicago Bears	400.5
23	Carolina Panthers	416
	NY Giants	416
25	SF 49ers	425
26	Atlanta Falcons	437.5
27	Minnesota Vikings	444
28	Buffalo Bills	449.5
29	Green Bay Packers	452
30	Washington	455.5
31	Miami Dolphins	479
32	LA Rams	493

Showing 1 to 32 of 32 entries
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Here are the categories:

KICKOFF RETURNS

Best: Houston, 26.7 yards

Worst: LA Rams, 16.1 yards

League average: 22.6 yards

PUNT RETURNS

Best: Denver, 16.3 yards

Worst: Dallas, 5.4 yards

League average: 9.7 yards

KICKOFF COVERAGE

Best: NY Jets, 15.4 yards

Worst: Miami, 30.5 yards

League average: 23.2 yards

PUNT COVERAGE

Best: New Orleans, 5.6 yards

Worst: LA Rams, 15.5 yards

League average: 9.6 yards

STARTING POINT

Best: Seattle, 26.5-yard line

Worst: Minnesota, 24.3-yard line

League average: 25.2-yard line

OPPONENT STARTING POINT

Best: Detroit, 23.7-yard line

Worst: Miami, 26.6-yard line

League average: 25.2-yard line

PUNTING

Best: Dallas, 51.4 yards

Worst: New Orleans, 43.0 yards

League average: 47.3 yards

NET PUNTING

Best: Las Vegas, 45.1 yards

Worst: Chicago, 38.0 yards

League average: 40.5 yards

INSIDE THE 20 PUNTS

Best: New England, 38

Worst: Arizona, 13

League average: 25.9

OPPONENT PUNTING

Best: NY Jets, 44.5 yards

Worst: Denver, 49.5 yards

League average: 47.3 yards

OPPONENT NET PUNTING

Best: Philadelphia, 39.1 yards

Worst: Atlanta, 43.9 yards

League average: 41.7 yards

FIELD GOALS

Best: Dallas & NY Jets, 36 apiece

Worst: New England, 16

League average: 28.5 field goals

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Best: Tennessee, 96.7 percent

Worst: New England, 64 percent

League average: 85.8 percent

OPPONENT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Best: Cleveland, 70.8 percent

Worst: Tennessee, 97.9 percent

League average: 85.7 percent

EXTRA POINT PERCENTAGE

Best: 8 teams tied with 100 percent

Worst: Carolina, 85.0 percent

League average: 95.6 percent

POINTS SCORED

Best: Houston, New England, New Orleans, 12 points apiece

Worst: 17 teams tied with 0

League average: 3.4 points

POINTS ALLOWED

Best: 17 teams tied with 0

Worst: LA Rams, 14

League average: 3.4 points

BLOCKED KICKS

Best: Cleveland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, 3 apiece

Worst: 10 teams tied with 0

League average: 1 blocked kick

OPPONENT BLOCKED KICKS

Best: 12 teams tied with 0

Worst: Baltimore, LA Rams, Washington, 3 apiece

League average: 1 blocked kick

TAKEAWAYS

Best: Baltimore, NY Giants, 3 apiece

Worst: 8 teams tied with 0

League average: 1 takeaway

GIVEAWAYS

Best: 9 teams tied with 0

Worst: Tennessee, 4

League average: 1 giveaway

PENALTIES

Best: LA Chargers, 4 for 35 yards

Worst: Green Bay, 19 for 178 yards

League average: 11.9 penalties for 97.9 yards

Don't sound so enthused!

 

[Loyal]

TLDR

 

[OldSchool]

We really don't have a dynamic return guy. Xavier Smith is okay, but not special.

Corum and Whittington both averaged a little bit more and had a 40+ yard return each. Our return teams improved even with as some say a lack of blocking. Not saying they're TD makers back there but I'll take a guy since Corum was about league average the other two were below. I'm as curious to see how improved blockage will help.

 

[dpjax]

Don't sound so enthused!

I don’t pretend to know better than the Rams coaches. The results speak for themselves but I don’t want to jinx anything at this point.

 

[Corbin]

Returns yes were dead last that is what happens when you fair catch so many times. Yards per return was bottom third though they were a yard better than last year. And add to that our kick return average went up 10 yards. We also have a good kicker and didn't give up any TD's on teams.

Punt coverage has improved substantially, as did Ethan Evans directional kicking. He made a big year one to year two stride. Rams have blocked two PATs, a FG and a punt this year too.

Michael Hoecht, Jordan Whittington, standouts on that unit. Feeling like Karty was a good pick also.

Again average to below average numbers, nothing to pump the neighbors dog about.

 

[LA_vision]

Again average to below average numbers, nothing to pump the neighbors dog about.

True, but the last couple of years has been so dreadful, it’s nice to see improvement. I don’t feel ST cost us any game this year.

 

[Corbin]

True, but the last couple of years has been so dreadful, it’s nice to see improvement. I don’t feel ST cost us any game this year.

Guess some people get excited by average. That’s not for me I guess.

 

[Steve808]

We really don't have a dynamic return guy. Xavier Smith is okay, but not special.

Yes, but his best return was against the whiners when the Rams were 0-2 and might have been a factor in preventing us from an 0-3 start and for sure, hurt the whiners.

If you play your best against the whiners, you might be a keeper, IMO.

 

[tempests]

Again average to below average numbers, nothing to pump the neighbors dog about.

I notice positive trends and when special teams help the Rams win games. Field position game and Hoecht's blocked kick loomed pretty large against the Cardinals.

You want to mope and fantasize about the neighbours dog, go ahead.

 

[OldSchool]

Again average to below average numbers, nothing to pump the neighbors dog about.

If you want to just be a doomer about it that's fine. But it's improvement. Teams don't usually go from bottom third to top third in one season it takes work. Sorry the rest of us seem to see good signs with ST but if you don't want to nothing said will change that I guess.