In-depth analysis: Jets at Washington (Special teams)
Although Washington won the game via special teams with their five field goals, there wasn't too much to report other than that as the teams combined to punt just eight times.
Let's review the key contributions...
Return game
One Step A(White)head
With TRENTON CANNON unavailable, the Jets' two other return candidates - ANDRE ROBERTS and LUCKY WHITEHEAD - were expected to get plenty of opportunities to try and earn a role. Unfortunately for Roberts, he only got to return one kick out to the 20 with NEVILLE HEWITT failing to sustain his block and then the only other kick to him went out of bounds as Washington didn't punt in the first half.
Whitehead got more opportunities after half time. His kick-off return was also only out to about the 20, but he did well to break two tackles. He then later broke a couple of tackles on a nice 10-yard punt return. He got a bit of a lucky bounce when he seemed to misjudge the flight on the ball on another one though.
CHARONE PEAKE, playing as a vice, allowed his man to beat him downfield on one punt, while LAWRENCE THOMAS lost his block on one return, although his man missed that tackle.
Kicking
Tay Dreaming
CAIRO SANTOS is still out and TAYLOR BERTOLET remained perfect as he made an extra point and two field goals - the last of which, with 1:52 to go, could have been the game winner.
On his four kick-offs, Bertolet put three in the end zone. Only one was a touchback, but the other two were stopped inside the 20.
There's still time for Santos to come back and secure the role everyone expected to be his, but Bertolet is doing what he needs to do to give himself a chance.
Punting
Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me, Lach it to me...
LACHLAN EDWARDS put some good air under the ball but outkicked his coverage on each of his first three punts. The first, a 57-yarder, was returned 19 yards, if you include the 15 tacked on because of DARRON LEE's horse collar tackle as the return man ran across the field. The next one went 65 yards but rolled into the end zone for a touchback and the last one was a 56-yarder but returned 22 yards. That's a 59-yard gross average but just under 40 yards net.
His last punt seemed like he deliberately laid it up shorter to give the return unit a better chance and that was a 46-yard kick with a six yard return.
THOMAS HENNESSY was once again perfect on long snaps.
Kick coverage
RIP Aretha (we ran out of puns)
There was nearly a big play on special teams, as BRANDON COPELAND forced a fumble which was recovered and then dropped by DOUG MIDDLETON before Thomas came up with the ball. Unfortunately, instant replay showed that the return man's knee was down.
Copeland also got downfield well on one punt, but nobody had multiple tackles in coverage. Of those that had one, TERRENCE BROOKS made one inside the 20-yard line and OBUM GWACHAM made one down near the 10. Peake - who saw time as a gunner - made one that saved a potential big return.
Here's the Gwacham tackle, which as you can see came because JEREMY CLARK got downfield quicker than anyone else to blow it up:
In terms of negatives, Hennessy, JORDAN LEGGETT, and BUSTER SKRINE were guilty of overpursuit but there were no missed tackles as such.
That's it for this week's game. If you'd like us to cover anything in more detail during the week, please let us know.