Buffalo's special teams help make the difference
Field position gives Bills edge
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 6, 2006
Orchard Park, N.Y. - It did not go unnoticed by anyone on the Green Bay sideline that three of the Buffalo Bills' scoring drives started inside the Packers' 35-yard line.
One was the result of a 76-yard interception return but two could be pinned on a special teams unit that had its worst day of the season. On a day when the Packers and Bills were pretty much negating each other on offense and defense, Buffalo's special teams helped make the difference.
"Field position, No. 1," coach Mike McCarthy correctly noted about where the Packers were outclassed. "Our return units continue to struggle. We're not maintaining our blocks. Those are some of the things I saw without seeing the film."
Buffalo punter Brian Moorman might have been the difference in the game, continually pinning the Packers deep in their territory while averaging 47.4 yards per punt. He landed four of his eight punts inside the Packers' 20-yard line, including three inside the 13.
All day long, the Packers were starting in a hole, which explained why they had so many yards (427) and so few points. They generally had to drive the entire length of the field to score.
Not so for the Bills.
On the first play of the game, defending kickoff return champion Terrence McGee took the opening kickoff through a gaping hole in the Packers' coverage unit and galloped 61 yards to the Green Bay 29. The Bills got on the board first on a 28-yard field goal that came six plays later.
"Their effort was better than ours," special teams coach Mike Stock said. "That play that started the game, you have to set the tempo to show the crowd and the other team that, hey, you showed up or didn't show up. We didn't show up. That was a total drop of the ball for us in terms of effort and execution and setting the tempo. Not a good message. We had not done that."
In fact, the Packers came into the game allowing the shortest average kickoff return of any team in the NFL. But they got smacked in the mouth to start the game.
"We were in position, but got blocked a little bit," kicker Dave Rayner said. "He's a good returner and took it back on us. But we're still a solid kick return unit. We're still very good. We need to bounce back this week, see what we did wrong and correct it."
While Moorman was showing why he's probably the best punter in the NFL, Packers punter Jon Ryan was trying to survive a heavy rush every time he went back to punt. Ryan responded with three punts inside the 20-yard line, including two beauties that bounced inside the 10 and stayed inbounds.
But when he was needed the most - with the Packers on their 16 with the score tied and 8½ minutes left - he didn't come through. He hit a low line drive that traveled 39 yards and was returned 17 yards by the Bills' Roscoe Parrish.
An illegal formation penalty on Jason Hunter moved the ball 5 yards more down the field, giving the Bills a first down at the Packers' 33. They scored the go-ahead touchdown one play later.
"They were kind of coming for every punt, trying to put pressure on, trying to block it," Ryan said. "I just rushed it a bit and didn't quite get my foot on it like I wanted. I didn't think they'd change anything and figured with me being a younger punter they would come after me."
Stock wasn't exactly accepting excuses. He would like Ryan to be more like Moorman.
"Moorman is very, very good," Stock said. "That's where our guy has to get: consistency, the big C word."