Chiefs’ special teams study themselves, as well as best and worst of others around NFL
It’s often informative when Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub addresses the media. He’s one of the NFL’s most respected architects of kick and coverage units and has been considered for head coaching jobs in the past.
On Thursday, Toub offered a look into the reasons for his, and his team’s, success. The Chiefs study not only themselves, he said, but the special teams units of other teams around the league.
For instance, they went to school on the Miami Dolphins’ recent spread-the-field fake field goal, which resulted in a holder-to-kicker touchdown pass against the Philadelphia Eagles. They also examined how the Atlanta Falcons covered three onside kicks against the New Orleans Saints that same weekend.
“We have this thing called ‘Big plays,’ and every week we watch all the big plays that happen (in the NFL),” Toub said. “We learn from it. We learn from other people’s mistakes. We learn from our mistakes. Anything that’s a teaching moment, we’re going to show it. We’re constantly learning.”
The Chiefs have typically ranked at or near the top of the NFL’s special teams ratings in Toub’s seven seasons here. But there have been a few problems this season.
A botched snap and blocked field goal at Tennessee were costly in a three-point loss to the Titans last month. In last week’s victory at New England, the Chiefs had a punt blocked for the first time since Toub’s first game with the Chiefs: the 2013 season opener.
Miscommunication led to the latter result, Toub said. The Patriots showed a look that should’ve triggered a fake.
Some of his players saw it, some didn’t.
“It was a lot of people at fault,” Toub said. “Every game we go into, there are certain looks that we have automatic fakes for. Just like an offensive play. That was one of those situations where the communication didn’t get met and we let a guy run free. That’s when you get a punt blocked. It was ugly.”
There have been victories this season, too. Defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon has blocked a kick in each of the last two games: His blocked extra-point attempt against the Oakland Raiders resulted in a two-point return by Charvarius Ward, andhe also blocked a field-goal try Sunday against the New England Patriots.
Rookie return specialist Mecole Hardman has had some rough moments, but the threat of his speed has forced punters to alter their kicks and sometimes come up short.
According to Football Outsiders, the Chiefs’ special teams rank sixth overall in the NFL through Week 14. Solid but with room to improve.
Through more film study.