Special Teams Review: Jets-Dolphins

We've been breaking down this week's game. We conclude our postgame analysis with a look at the special teams.

Let's review the key contributions...

Kicking game - McNa-more work

There was a change this week on kickoffs, as the Jets used punter Austin McNamara for the first time this season. He did a solid job in that role last season, so it's strange that this didn't happen sooner.

McNamara's kickoffs were excellent as all five were fielded inside the three-yard line with a couple bouncing in the landing zone. While the coverage on these was not that good, remember there is no "outkicking your coverage" as far as kickoffs are concerned because you can't move until the ball is fielded so hangtime is irrelevant.

In his usual role as punter, McNamara did well, with a 48-yarder fair-caught inside the 10. His only other punt was a 62-yarder with a 13-yard return.

Taking kicker Jason Sanders off kickoffs didn't seem to help him much, as he hit the upright with a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter that proved costly. He did make a 33-yarder and two extra points.

Isaiah Davis got some pressure up the middle on one of Miami's four punts.

Kick coverage - Lynn-sanity

The kick coverage was better than last week, although New York did allow one kickoff return out to the 40 after a missed tackle by Davis.

Jaden Keller and Trevin Wallace each made a good play to stop kickoff returns inside the 25 and Keller almost blew up another at about the 20 but the Dolphins got away with an illegal block in the back on him and Nate Lynn had to make an open field tackle at the 28.

Davis, Andrew Beck, Andre Cisco and Malachi Moore were all also credited with special teams tackles on the kickoff unit, and one of Miami's returns was negated by a hold.

On punts, Stiggers got downfield to force a fair catch and then, after Malik McClain overpursued, he made the tackle on the other punt. That was the play where he originally got called for tripping.

Return game - A McClain pair of heels

With Kene Nwangwu inactive, the Jets once again got basically zero spark from their return game. Only one of Miami's five kickoffs and one of their four punts was returned.

The Dolphins kicked four touchbacks with the only return being a 28-yarder by McClain.

On their first three punts, Isaiah Williams took two fair catches and allowed one to be downed as Nahshon Wright was beaten twice, and Stiggers once, by the gunner.

He finally got to return one for just seven yards in the fourth quarter, but Beck was unable to make a block to prevent it from being stopped.

Williams' impact, or lack thereof, is clear from his statistics: He averaged 14 yards per punt return and 30 yards per kickoff return last year but is averaging just 10 and 25 this season. He has 554 all-purpose yards in seven games, having had almost 1,500 in 15 games last season. Of course, the reigning Jets MVP is no longer getting any offensive looks either.

We'll be back with the 3-on-D and 3-on-O over the next few days...