Checking In On Jets’ Special Teams

PUNT RETURN UNIT

DVOA: -6.0 (32nd)

Punt Return Average: 6.0 (25th)

Ouch. In addition to a lack of any spark whatsoever, the punt return unit for the Jets has been a muff machine. Kalif Raymond had 3 before being cut, while Jeremy Kerley has added 2 of his own. Kerley is averaging only 5.3 yards a return with a long of 15. If he’s going to be that stagnant, he can’t make mistakes like the one he made against Atlanta. Someone else will get a chance now, and hopefully improve this dreadful unit.

KICK RETURN UNIT

DVOA: +0.3 (11th)

Kick Return Average: 20.1 (24th)

At least the Jets have avoided catastrophe in the kickoff game, responsible for none of the league’s 15 fumbles on kickoffs. ArDarius Stewart leads the team with 9 kick returns, for a poor average of just 19.2 yards.

FIELD GOALS/EXTRA POINTS

DVOA: -0.1 (19th)

FG%: 78.9 (24th)

XP%: 100.0 (1 of 14 teams)

Catanzaro has been solid overall, but his overall percentage of 78.9 is lower than each of Nick Folk’s last four years as a Jet. Two of his misses came in the loss to Atlanta and turned out to be costly, but they were not in gimme range and it was pouring rain, so there’s a bit of a viable excuse. He only has two misses otherwise, and when you consider he’s taken 15 of his 19 attempts from 40 yards or further, second most in the league, it’s been a decent year from him.

KICKOFF UNIT

DVOA: +1.5 (12th)

Opponent Kick Return Average: 22.3 (21st)

Despite the low ranking in return average, the longest kick return the Jets have yielded was only 31 yards. Chandler Catanzaro has also created a touchback on 70.5% of his kickoffs, 7th best in the league.

PUNTING UNIT

Football Outsiders DVOA: +4.2 (8th)

Net Punt Yards: 43.3 (9th)

Lachlan Edwards has made great strides in year two and has carried the Jets’ punting unit into the top ten in the league. After ranking dead last in net punting average as a rookie, he currently sits at 12th, while tied for 2nd in the league in punts inside the 20.

The Jets have yielded an average punt return of 7.5 yards, 17th best in the league. Julian Stanford’s 4 tackles on punts leads the team and is tied for 9th in the league.

Jets fans have certainly been fond of the Aussie. In a recent GGN poll, he was voted the 9th best player on the team so far.