We’ve been breaking down this week’s game. We conclude today’s postgame analysis with a look at the special teams.
Let’s review the key contributions…
Kicking game – Awesome McNamara
Punter Austin McNamara put the finishing touches on a special season, even though his final game numbers were underwhelming. He still held the Bills to two return yards on five punts, with one good highlight as he landed one at the goal line.
Surprisingly, McNamara’s numbers fell off down the stretch so having spent most of the season among the league leaders he ended up outside the top-20 for gross average, although he was 7th in net average.
He was, however, near the top in lowest return yardage allowed and second in both punts landed inside the 20 and fair catches forced.
McNamara’s other role, kicking off, went well on Sunday, although he only got to do it twice. One bounced past the return man to give the Bills a touchback and the ball at the 20 instead of the 35. The other was returned from the one-yard line.
Nick Folk literally didn’t get a chance to even take the field in what could be his last NFL game or his last game as a Jet. He fell two field goals short of his final incentive at the end of a superb season with just one missed kick.
Thomas Hennessy had one uncharacteristically wide snap that McNamara handled well.
Kick coverage – Making his Clark
The Bills only returned one kickoff and one punt, so the only Jets to record a special teams tackle were Dean Clark, who stopped the kickoff at the 23 after an Andrew Beck missed tackle and Arian Smith who blew up a punt return after Keon Coleman didn’t line up deep enough and McNamara boomed it over his head.
It was a good game from Smith, who downed a punt at the goal line, forced a fair catch and got downfield to force the return man to leave a punt alone.
Kene Nwangwu, who was the other gunner this week with Qwan’tez Stiggers out, also got downfield well to force the return man to leave one and assisted Smith on both the tackle and the downed punt.
Mykal Walker quietly rose the ranks to end up as the Jets’ leading special teams tackler with 10, although Ja’Sir Taylor ended the year with 11 if you include his pre-trade numbers. That would only be good for 71st in the NFL, though, as Jets legend Del’Shawn Phillips led the league with 24.
Return game – Isaiah with my little eye
The Bills didn’t punt all day but newly-crowned team MVP Isaiah Williams was on kickoff return duties.
He was mostly held in check but he did break one past midfield behind good blocks by Cam Jones and John Metchie.
On his other returns, Kobe King had a good block but Williams was let down by missed blocks from King, Jones and Jeremy Ruckert (twice, although he had a good excuse on one because he was poked in the eye). Jones also got away with a potential illegal block in the back.
Williams ended up fourth in punt return average and second in kickoff return average among qualifiers. Nwangwu actually led the NFL in return average but did not return enough to qualify.
We’ll be back with the 3-on-D and 3-on-O over the next few days…