Touchback Anyone?
August 13th, 2011
Joe isn’t one to get aroused by a kickoff specialist, but Roboleg Koenen, the Bucs new punter/kickoff guy is probably going to win the Bucs a game this year.
Yes, Joe is aroused.
By Joe’s count, in the first half Koenen had three touchbacks, including one booted out of the end zone. And the game-opening kickoff was halfway into the end zone and returned probably only because the Chiefs wanted to get their kickoff team some work. Elbert Mack proceeded to crush the Kansas City returner at about the 10 yard line.
Joe was pleased yet nervous about seeing healing Cody Grimm on the kickoff coverage team, but that’s all but worthless at this point thanks to Roboleg and the NFL rule that’s moved kickoffs up to the 35 yard line.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:24 am
I love it personally…we all wish this rule was in place after taking a ten point lead in the 4th quarter against atl last year…
August 13th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Grimm made the saving tackle and swept Dexter McCluster to force a three-and-out on the Chiefs’ first drive of the game. He looked just like he did last season. No worse for the wear.
August 13th, 2011 at 8:54 am
i hate the new kickoff rule. it takes the most exciting plays out of the game.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
I’m pumped about Koenen. Perfect complement to Connor Barth. Our kicking game could be as good as it’s ever been — in each of the three phases (punts, kickoffs, FG/XP).
Looks like Koenen’s got more than enough leg to get a touchback just about every time now that he’s kicking from the 35.
Would be interested to see if we could make even better use of that big leg. Have him kick off with a bit more loft — giving more hang time but a slightly shorter kick. If he drops it on the one yard line then the return man can’t just take a knee- he has to return it. The extra hang time coupled with the fact that the coverage team is coming from the 35 might mean that on average the return man doesn’t even make it to the 20.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Oh, and Koenen only had two touchbacks. Last kickoff of the first half was Rogers.
August 13th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I believe that signing Koenen to this huge deal was idiotic for 2 reasons:
1) koenen was very mediocre in terms of statistics while punting in a dome which is proven to benefit punting stats;
2) the argument from the team to justify the signing was that he also handles kickoffs. I think that they forgot that the kickoff was being moved up this year bc virtually every kicker reach touchback territory today. It was senseless to overpay for an average punter to kickoff with the distance shortened.
Yes, i dont understand how this signing slipped by the Glazers, this is one check that I wish that they would not have written.
August 13th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
I read an article that said koenen was 26th in the nfl in net average and was actually ranked just behind the bucs punters last year. 3.5 million, what? This makes me wonder about Dom’s decision making on free agents.
August 13th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Joe here,
@Thomas 2.2 — Punting in a dome helps punting stats? Joe would love to see the data behind that.
August 13th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Yes Joe it does. Try punting in the wind either headwind or sidewind. Try punting in the cold or rain like bears, packers and giants punters, now Vikings also. Ask Jason Hanson?
A falcon punter will be guaranteed most games in perfect conditions. In fact a study was done previously that concluded: based on the number of teams and games played in outdoor cold weather cities that you would expect 1/3 of pro bowl punters to come from those cities if there was no disadvantage. Nope, since the seventies a much smaller percentage of cold weather cities have produced pro bowl punters. Why? Significant disadvantage to kick, or hit fir the matter, in the cold, rain or wind.
August 13th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
JOE
You said you wanted to see if the new kicker was worth the money… I think h was, at least Friday night. HE boomed every kickoff for a touch back and dropped one punt at the 10 and one that rolled to the 2.
Field position and deleting the opponents return game is huge. So far, so good.