Jets at Jaguars: Special Teams Review

We've been breaking this week's game against the Jaguars. We wrap up today's analysis with a look at the special teams.

Let's review the key contributions...

Kicking game - I ALREADY WORK AROUND THE LACH

Here's an amazing statistic. The Jets have only kicked two field goals all year. Obviously this is last in the NFL.

To place that in some kind of historical context, the Jets have been in double figures for made field goals in every season since 1971 and usually in the twenties. The Arizona Cardinals have already made 21 field goals this year.

In addition, they've only kicked six extra points. Again this is in last place, albeit tied with Miami this time. The all-time franchise low is 16 but again you're usually looking at 30+.

Kicker Sam Ficken isn't necessarily to blame for this, as he's only missed one kick in six games. But after all the hullabaloo over the Jets letting a pro bowl kicker walk in the offseason, it turns out it probably wouldn't have made much difference.

Ficken just about made his only kick on Sunday as Lachlan Edwards did well to handle a slightly off-line snap from Thomas Hennessy. His three kickoffs saw one go for a touchback and the other two were stopped before the 25.

Edwards also punted five times with mixed results. His first punt was returned 24 yards, another was a 56-yard bomb that led to a penalty, one was muffed, one was fumbled after the return man tried to reverse field and another was covered well but that was a shorter kick.

The Jets tried to get some pressure on the Jags' three field goals by having Darryl Roberts and Matthias Farley flying off the edge but ironically the one kick they missed was with no attempt at pressure.

On Jags punts, the Jets tried to scheme up a block with both Harvey Langi and Daniel Brown coming close to getting good pressure on the kick.

Return game - The Ty that grinds

Ty Montgomery remains as the kick returner and it will be interesting to see if he retains that role if and when Trenton Cannon is ready to return.

Montgomery was stuffed at the 14 on his first return as Ryan Griffin ran off to block someone else and left a tackler with a free run at him. However, Montgomery did get out past the 30 on his other attempt on a shorter kick. The Jets looked to set up a return to the right side on this play but Montgomery smartly saw the space to the left and cut that way instead.

On punts Braxton Berrios had no returns as he took two fair catches, left one to bounce and saw one go out of bounds. One of those fair catches came as new Jet Blake Countess was beaten by the gunner.

Kick coverage - Langi overdue

The Jets didn't do a great job in kick coverage this week, giving up a 24-yard punt return and missing some opportunities to make some tackles in space. However, their greatest failing was their inability to recover either of the Jaguars' two fumbles, which could have swung the game in the Jets' favor.

Brandon Copeland forced the first fumble, stripping the ball loose from Dede Westbrook as he tried to make a play. Hennessy and Jordan Jenkins were both close to recovering it, but Westbrook got super lucky as it rolled right back to him.

On the other one, Farley blew past his man and laid a big hit on the return man who obviously was distracted. Not only did his muff bounce right to a teammate, it also bounced forwards 12 yards which mean the Jags started their next drive outside the 20, whereas they'd have been inside their 10 if the catch was fielded cleanly.

Farley, who also drew a penalty by beating his man one other time, did have a missed tackle, as did Brown. Brown and Griffin also overpursued on another play and Copeland and Trevon Wesco got blocked out.

Langi was the only player credited with multiple tackles in coverage with Rontez Miles, Tarell Basham and Josh Bellamy also making plays, although the return man stumbled ahead for several extra yards after Bellamy's tackle.

That's it for today's analysis. Don't forget to leave your suggestions for which players to look at in more detail in this week's 3-on-D and 3-on-O.