Special Teams Review: Jets-Lions

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

Let's review the key contributions...

Kicking game - Jase the Ace

Kicker Jason Sanders remains perfect since his horrible week one miss after hitting a 42-yard field goal and one extra point. The Jets now need to put him on the roster if they're going to continue to use him because he's no longer eligible to be elevated from the practice squad.

He also had two touchbacks on Sunday, and two of Detroit's three returns came on kicks fielded inside the five-yard line.

Punter Austin McNamara had an uncharacteristic error on a punt from near midfield. That ended up being just a 26-yarder. It's possible he tried to put a funky spin on the ball in an effort to induce the Lions' return man into muffing it near his own goal line but this clearly backfired.

McNamara only punted two other times and these were both good. He landed a 47-yarder inside the 15 which was fair-caught and launched a 55-yard bomb on the first play of the second quarter. That was actually the last time either team punted all day.

Kick coverage - Moore's the pity

The Jets' kick coverage units were so good last season but they've been awful so far this year. The team has given up the 10th most kickoff return yardage and the 2nd-highest punt return yardage total.

Yes, they've been without Kene Nwangwu, and now also Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Arian Smith. In addition, Qwan'tez Stiggers missed some time on Sunday with a hand injury. They also lost some of their more productive tacklers from last year in Mykal Walker, Isaiah Oliver and Ja'Sir Taylor. The group they have out there right now is not getting the job done.

In Sunday's game, Jacob Saylors almost broke a touchdown return, with Malachi Moore making a saving tackle near midfield after Sanders got juked. Saylors also had a 37-yard return. Punt returner Tom Saunders added an 11-yard punt return.

Troy Reeder, Isaiah Davis and Braiden McGregor were the main players that got blocked off from stopping the longest return. McGregor in particular got manhandled by his blocker.

On the other long return, Andrew Beck missed the tackle as Davis once again got blocked off. Reeder combined with Trevin Wallace to make the tackle.

One other return, fielded by Kennedy, was returned out to the 37 but this was negated by a hold on Beck. Davis and Kingsley Enagbare were in on the tackle.

In his first regular season snap as an NFL gunner, Malik McClain knocked DJ Reed to the ground and forced a fair catch. He got downfield well on the next one too, but that was the shanked punt which took a bad bounce. The last punt was a longer one so neither gunner could prevent a return but Stiggers got off his block to make the tackle.

Return game - Must be the season of the Pritch

2025 preseason darling Jamaal Pritchett finally saw his first NFL action in Sunday's game and he got one touch, on a 27-yard kickoff return out to the 26. Jelani Woods wasn't able to sustain his block on that one.

Isaiah Williams still handed the majority of these duties but didn't have much success as he didn't manage to return one out past the 31 and was stuffed at the 20 on one, on which Woods and Braelon Allen got badly beaten.

McClain's man made the tackle on two of the other three returns and Allen arguably got away with a block in the back on one.

Williams didn't get a chance to return either of the Lions' two punts. He left one to bounce near the goal line and it was downed inside the 10. The other saw him have to make a fair catch after the gunner beat Jarvis Brownlee.

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