Special Teams Review: Jets-Eagles

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

Let's review the key contributions...

Kicking game - Absolutely out of the Kessman

For anyone who wanted the Jets to get rid of Matt Ammendola, be careful what you wish for. Ammendola's replacement Alex Kessman missed his only two kicks of the day on extra points following the Jets' first two drives.

He didn't get another kick attempt after that with the Jets going for it on fourth down and then going for two on their third scoring possession.

He still got to kick off, with one touchback and one bizarre kick that bounced on the goal line and died there, enabling the Jets to blow up the return man at the six-yard line. One of his other kicks was short and run back past the 30.

Kessman is the third Jets kicker in less than three years to fail to score on their NFL debut with the team.

Punter Braden Mann was also disappointing. He laid one up too short for a 33-yard net and his only other punt was a 45-yarder that was muffed but then returned 20 yards. His numbers continue to look awful when compared to those of Thomas Morstead while he was out injured.

Kick coverage - Hardee Ha Ha

The Eagles only returned four kicks and the Jets made a good play on two of those. One was the kickoff that bounced at the goal line. Jeff Smith got downfield well to blow that up at the six. On another, the Jets stretched the return out to the sideline where Justin Hardee made a big hit for his team-leading eighth special teams tackle of the season. Jason Pinnock, Nick Bawden, Smith and Javelin Guidry all helped to stretch that out to the sideline.

The other two didn't go so well. The Jets almost made a big play when Mann's punt was muffed, with Hardee getting down and almost blowing it up as the ball was collected. However, the return man escaped to the outside and picked up 20 yards on the return as Ryan Griffin lost contain badly.

On the other one, Hamsah Nasirildeen made the stop out past the 30 after a short Kessman kick. Guidry and Kenny Yeboah were also credited with special teams stops.

Return game - Braxton Serious

Braxton Berrios gave the Jets a big spark today by returning the opening kickoff 80 yards to set up the opening touchdown. He also got out past the 30 on his other two returns. Daniel Brown, Bawden, Yeboah and Nasirildeen all had good blocks on these returns, but Griffin slipped and fell when he had a chance to block the last man before the end zone on the long return.

By our calculations, Berrios will have overtaken the league leader in kick return average (Tony Pollard) with this performance.

The Eagles only punted once and that was a fair catch so Berrios didn't get a chance to add to his punt return average which is currently the second highest in the league too, but he's making a case to be considered for the pro bowl.

That wraps up today's analysis from the game, but we'll be back with more over the next few days...