Green Bay Packers Eyeing a "Special" 2009 Season

Great piece overall, especially evaluating the potential special teams players.
Underwood (r-Cincinnati) is a great player and I hope he sticks. This is not personal, I swear, but Anthony Smith played in 9 games last year with 9 tackles--so I'm hoping those were all special teams plays--coz that's low for a free safety. We need someone who can punt, period. The Patriots were the first to exploit this, but statistics indicate that in terms of avg. field position, kicking the ball for higher average (further/higher and covering) has more of an W-L impact than one's ability to punt the ball out of bounds, etc, inside the 20 yard line--often the criticism of Jon Ryan.

normallylikeyellow wrote:

Great piece overall, especially evaluating the potential special teams players.
Underwood (r-Cincinnati) is a great player and I hope he sticks. This is not personal, I swear, but Anthony Smith played in 9 games last year with 9 tackles--so I'm hoping those were all special teams plays--coz that's low for a free safety. We need someone who can punt, period. The Patriots were the first to exploit this, but statistics indicate that in terms of avg. field position, kicking the ball for higher average (further/higher and covering) has more of an W-L impact than one's ability to punt the ball out of bounds, etc, inside the 20 yard line--often the criticism of Jon Ryan.

The two aren't mutually exclusive are they? The ability to kick the ball out of bounds inside the 20 yard line also helps a punters average. I don't know what kind of info you accessed for your data, but I don't see how the two can be completely seperated. I do agree that special teams play needs to improve, in particular punting.

a kicker that can kill one inside the 10 or even inside or around the 15 would be great.Averages can be played with but id rather look at the net instead.

eric wrote:

a kicker that can kill one inside the 10 or even inside or around the 15 would be great.Averages can be played with but id rather look at the net instead.

A punter's net yardage average will improve with an ability to hit the coffin corner. I don't understand how the two can be seperated and it is obvious that you don't understand either.

You can also kill it or have it fair caught,you can average 45 yrd per punt but if they are all low and returnable.... im not talking about coffin corners as thats a lost art,im talking the high lofting punts that are fair caught,obviously it went straight over your head

eric wrote:

You can also kill it or have it fair caught,you can average 45 yrd per punt but if they are all low and returnable.... im not talking about coffin corners as thats a lost art,im talking the high lofting punts that are fair caught,obviously it went straight over your head

You are right about the various ways to potentially increase a punters average. That is exactly my point. Net average and skills at these various ways of punting are directly connected. Obviously you are too stupid to understand. Don't strain your brain. You don't have the brain cells to spare.

did anyone read some of the comments on that article. Some guy that has issues with management think is phone is being bugged. It sounds like a case of extremely being paranoid.

GBPfan wrote:

<quoted text>
You are right about the various ways to potentially increase a punters average. That is exactly my point. Net average and skills at these various ways of punting are directly connected. Obviously you are too stupid to understand. Don't strain your brain. You don't have the brain cells to spare.

well since i pegged it,I obviously understand perfectly,but,since your obviously mentally challenged and cant see that.......

Sorry I wasn't more specific. The good stats on this can accessed through the game sites, who use probability to predict what will happen--like in a Madden game. You all are right, in the sense that it is combo of distance and coverage and limiting yardage. The best inside-the-20 average last year was Hunter Smith (43.4) of Indy, but you also have to factor in attempts--they are an efficient offense. Ironiclally, Brad Maynard of CHIC attempted the most with a very good avg (41.7), though his net was middle of the pack at 38.1. So a Cutler upgrade might be bigger than you think--they moved the ball pretty good. That said, Derrick Frost was 16.7, 2nd worst. However it is kicking you out of hole that often is more important. That's where sorting by net is important, Shane Lechler of OAK was most efficient (41.2 net), even though he tied for the lead in touchbacks. Donnie Jones of STL was second. Frost was 36.1. BTW Jon Ryan was 38.4 for Seattle, though his directional kicking was only 28.2%. What this tells me is that good teams are kicking closer to the end zone, bringing averages down and bad teams are not. Maynard is probably most efficient, put his low distance would be a problem if the Bears were backed up more than not. Nevertheless, Lechler and Jones both have the highest kick average AND high nets. So the idea of out-kicking the coverage is not valid--and that, besides the myth of importance of directional--directly related to 3rd down conversion and placekicker's distance--is overrated.

Thanks for the explanation. I'de like to see one of these sites myself. What exactly do you mean by "the game sites."

GBPfan wrote:

Thanks for the explanation. I'de like to see one of these sites myself. What exactly do you mean by "the game sites."

You prove your illiteracy here daily, and your NFL IQ is keeping the same pace.
I will give you credit though, packer fans hate you as much as Viking fans you miserable puke.

40for60 wrote:

<quoted text>
You prove your illiteracy here daily, and your NFL IQ is keeping the same pace.
I will give you credit though, packer fans hate you as much as Viking fans you miserable puke.

I guess that means you don't know either. And anyone that hates me is just like you -- an ignorant Viqueen fan. In fact, they are probably one of your butties.

The disdain shown for you knows no boundaries.
5 minutes of your rehashed cannard could drive anyone to drink. And for you, that means the whole state of sconny.

Gosh this is match made in hell. How is it 40?

40for60 wrote:

The disdain shown for you knows no boundaries.
5 minutes of your rehashed cannard could drive anyone to drink. And for you, that means the whole state of sconny.

You giving me credit for all the drinking in Wisconsin? Thanks. It would mean alot more if it wasn't coming from an ignorant Viqueen fan, but I'll take the compliment anyway. And thanks for honoring the Packers by posting in our forum about the Packers "special" 2009 season. Tell all your Viqueen fan butties to come pay their respects also. This is the closest any of you will ever come to Champions.

Green Bay Packers Eyeing a "Special" 2009 Season...let me guess...they're going to try very hard for a 7-9 season. now that would be very special!!!

purplehaze _canada wrote:

Green Bay Packers Eyeing a "Special" 2009 Season...let me guess...they're going to try very hard for a 7-9 season. now that would be very special!!!

I'll take your word for it. The Viqueens are experts on "special" I believe. In fact, the Viqueens were the inspiration for the "special" Olympics. So you ought to know.

normallylikeyellow wrote:

Gosh this is match made in hell. How is it 40?

Howdy NLY, my apologies to decent packer fans for my intrusion, but since gbpfan decided to spread his own version of aids on our site, I was just returning the favor.
I know that it takes all sorts to make the world go round, but really, this clown is like a hemorrhoid looking for a new planet.

Funny, I was saying a week or so back that all we needed was to get you on here and things would really get fun. GBP makes me look like I'm on lithium--he's so cynical. I think he questions Mother Theresa's motives. But I gotta go, my Fran Tarkenton 10-step ethics tapes just arrived.

normallylikeyellow wrote:

Funny, I was saying a week or so back that all we needed was to get you on here and things would really get fun. GBP makes me look like I'm on lithium--he's so cynical. I think he questions Mother Theresa's motives. But I gotta go, my Fran Tarkenton 10-step ethics tapes just arrived.

LOL, no kidding
Tark is all about Tark, always has been.
He acts like he would follow the Vikings to the end of the earth, when in fact he only followed them when they went to the bank.
Have a good one NLY.