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NFL nears record pace on blocked punts

 
Seattle’s Mike Morgan heads to the end zone for a touchdown on a blocked punt as Jeff Heath of the Cowboys gives chase on Oct. 12. There have been 12 blocked punts in the league this season, nearly on pace to equal the record 31, set in 1977.
Seattle’s Mike Morgan heads to the end zone for a touchdown on a blocked punt as Jeff Heath of the Cowboys gives chase on Oct. 12. There have been 12 blocked punts in the league this season, nearly on pace to equal the record 31, set in 1977.
Published Oct. 26, 2014

TAMPA — The Bucs had just finished a 19-17 home loss to the Rams, and coach Lovie Smith was in no mood to talk about playcalling, injuries or the last-second mistake that cost his team the game.

His focus was on special teams mistakes and a trend affecting games across the league: blocked kicks.

"You lose games when you have a field goal that's blocked when you're going to put three points on the board," Smith said after that Sept. 14 loss. "When you have a punt that's blocked and they score, that's when you lose."

And both of those things are happening more this season than they have in years.

Through Week 7, the NFL has seen 12 blocked punts — as many as in the entire 2010 season. At this pace, there will be 29 blocked punts, which would challenge the league record of 31, set in 1977. The 13 blocked field goals so far projects to 31 over a full season, the most since at least 2000.

Teams have also blocked three extra points, after blocking only four each of the past two years.

"I'd be lying if I said I came here and didn't think about it," Bucs long snapper Andrew DePaola said. "But it doesn't keep me up at night."

DePaola said his job in preventing a blocked field goal is simple: get the ball out quickly and consistently. The Bucs and most other teams try to take only 1.3 seconds between the snap and the kick. "The faster you make it, the better chance you're going to have of not getting blocked, even if the guy comes scot-free," DePaola said.

How do you counteract that? By rushing quickly, hoping the kick is low and throwing your arms in the air. Having a massive body — like Jacksonville's 6-foot-4 Red Bryant, who has five career blocked kicks — doesn't hurt, either.

"Two steps and get your hands up," said Bucs defensive end William Gholston, who has the team's only blocked field goal this year, against Baltimore.

Punts, DePaola said, are trickier. Teams vary their fronts and the way they rush.

Because the NFL is a copycat league, teams study each other's tendencies. If one rush works in Philadelphia, others will start using it, too.

Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor says he gets a "big-play" tape every week that breaks down all key special teams plays throughout the league.

"Someone puts together a tape for us each week with all the blocks and big returns and those things so you can study them," Tabor told Cleveland TV station WKYC.

The consequences of a blocked kick are big.

Houston and St. Louis are the only two teams with multiple blocked kicks in one game — and both teams won. Teams are 15-13 when they block at least one punt, extra point or field goal this year.

Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes.

SCOUTING THE NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA: The Falcons are in London to take on the Lions. And in London you, well, play soccer. Atlanta finished Friday's practice by playing a little soccer. "We always try to finish up our week with a little competition," coach Mike Smith told reporters. "We do different competitions. We felt like we wanted to do some English football. We found out that our guys aren't really good at it." The Falcons used the training facilities of soccer club Arsenal during the week.

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CAROLINA: Panthers QB Cam Newton seems to have plenty of respect for Seattle's secondary, including CB Richard Sherman. Sherman is notoriously confident and outspoken — and also good. Newton told ESPN.com this week that he won't force too much but won't back down from attacking Sherman's side, either. "If the play is called for me to read it to Richard's side, by all means I'm going to do it." Newton said. "I'm not going to force it. I'm not going to be an idiot. I'm going to do a great job of protecting the football and be aggressively patient in taking what the defense gives me."

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