Sometimes in sports, “the way it’s always done” can be really stupid.
In the NBA, not fouling when a team leads by 3 points in the waning seconds defies mathematical probability. In baseball, anyone other than the pitcher bunting in today’s era actually decreases your chance of scoring. Games evolve while strategies fail to keep up.
The latest and most prevalent example is in the NFL and often college football: The insistence of placing a punt returner back to field a punt. How about not ever having a return man and never trying to block a punt. Actually, just leave your defense on the field on 4th down every time.
This allows a team to avoid the following:
- Allowing a fake punt
- Roughing the punter
- Running into the punter
- Holding
- Clipping
- Dropping the fair catch
- Fumbling the punt return
- Having someone run into the return man causing a fumble
- Having the ball inadvertently bounce off a blocking member of the return team.
- Fielding the ball and running backwards
By not having a return man you get possession of the ball every time. Yes, you run the risk that a ball may bounce further forward, hurting field position, but that logic is faulty considering it’s almost as likely that it could instead bounce backwards in your favor.
Any idea what the leading punt returners average in the NFL? Try ten yards or less. There is no reason to risk all of the disasters listed above in the hopes of ten yards. Would it surprise you that many NFL games have no punt return yardage?
Here are all of the outcomes from every punt in the 49ers-Buccaneers game:
- Tampa doesn’t attempt a return and the ball is downed at the 11-yard line. No return, no problem.
- 49ers fair catch at their own 13-yard line. Punts are not always caught cleanly so plenty risk and no reward.
- Tampa fair catch at their own 23-yard line. Same theory as above.
- Another Tampa fair catch at their own 23-yard line.
- Tampa muffed return catch at their own 1-yard line with seven seconds left in the half. Possibly the stupidest play I’ve seen this year as the Bucs were fortunate to pick up the ball and not give away a free TD to the 49ers.
- 49ers muff the punt as the blocking return man bumps into the punt returner at their own 36-yard line. The fumble is recovered by Tampa Bay and it ends up being a monster play early in the 3rd quarter.
- Tampa fair catch at their own 17-yard line, however they are called for holding and instead retain possession on their own 8-yard line.
- Tampa drops a punt at their own 30-yard line and once again fortunately recovers.
- 49ers fair catch at their own 16-yard line.
So in total, nine punts, zero return yards, three punts dropped (Tampa recovered their two fumbles, the 49ers lost theirs) and one Tampa penalty.
So ask yourself again, why put a punt returner back again? Oh, because that’s “the way it’s always been done.” Punters and coverage teams are now better than ever. Yes, in very rare circumstances you may need a punt block or desperately need a long return late in the game if you’re down significantly, but most of the time there should never be a punt returner placed downfield. Certainly not if you are leading and only a special teams disaster can aid your opponent. In the event you put a return man back, he should be instructed to run off the field and never get near the football, while everyone at the line of scrimmage avoids blocking the coverage team to ensure there are no penalties ever called.
At some point NFL coaches will figure this out, I just wouldn’t bet on it any time soon.