Special teams go from weapon to weakness

The Browns have been wretched the last 15 years, but for most of that time, their special teams were wonderful. That’s thin gruel, sure, but subsistence nonetheless.

Under coordinators Jerry Rosburg (2001-06) and Brad Seely (2009-10) especially, the Browns had consistently excellent results with kicking, returns and coverage. Key to that success was stability with longtime specialists Phil Dawson, Joshua Cribbs, Dennis Northcutt, Dave Zastudil, Chris Gardocki, Ryan Kuehl and Ryan Pontbriand.

In an era where the offense was all too often outmatched and the defense couldn’t dominate or even get off the field without surrendering points, the special teams provided some hope of a spark, be it a trick play, a scoring return, a long field goal, or a punt downed near the goal line.

That era appears over. If last season’s lowlights (two punts blocked in Cincinnati, Davone Bess‘s critical muff in Kansas City, and the failed onside kick recovery in New England) didn’t convince you, the opener in Pittsburgh really should.

The previously sensational returner Travis Benjamin‘s instincts appeared rusty. He made three fair catches, when at very least one of those punts was obviously returnable. He took four kickoffs out of the end zone but made it past the 20 only once. In one case, he fielded the kick nine yards deep and got tackled at the nine yard line.

Penalties on returns are nothing new, and they affected both teams. But four fouls for the Browns? It would’ve been five, but one hold was waved off after the ref realized it came after a fair catch. Those flags can be killers. When the Steelers punt from their own 19, it’s unacceptable for the Browns offense to start at their own 15.

The now-famous flying foot-to-the-face by Steelers star Antonio Brown on punter Spencer Lanning is yet another visual indignity on record in this rivalry, and the Browns’ shoddy punt coverage and tackling allowed it to happen, 36 yards into Brown’s return.

Coordinator Chris Tabor’s punt return unit left both gunners uncovered, allowing the Steelers to call a fake. The upback threw an easy completion to the sideline, despite it being fourth-and-10 from their own 20 late in a tie game.

Lanning’s fourth-quarter punt obviously should’ve been downed inside the five, as the touchback foiled the suspect strategy of playing to pin rather than win.

Kicker Billy Cundiff was the most reliable special-teamer of the day, drilling every placement over the crossbar and putting all six kickoffs into the end zone. The only two returns didn’t reach the 20. This begs the question: with kickoffs coming from the 35, can’t they practice lofting them higher and sacrificing some depth? The coverage unit and the probability of blocking fouls should result in a spot inside the 20 more often than not, plus a chance for a fumble.

Of course, Cundiff wasn’t given a chance to kick a potential game-winning field goal. The NFL’s website says the ball was at the Pittsburgh 35, so the attempt would’ve been 52 or 53 yards. Granted, Heinz Field is tough, but the conditions were otherwise ideal. Regardless of whether you agree with that decision, it’s clear that the Browns’ special teams units as a whole are more weakness than weapon.

All special teams plays from Week 1:

  1. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 65 yards from CLE 35 to end zone, Touchback.
  2. 4-18-CLE 18 (10:03) (Field Goal formation) 6-S.Suisham 36 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.
  3. 6-S.Suisham kicks 68 yards from PIT 35 to CLE -3. 11-T.Benjamin to CLE 25 for 28 yards (51-S.Spence)
  4. 4-14-PIT 21 (5:39) (Field Goal formation) 8-B.Cundiff 39 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-5-S.Lanning.
  5. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 65 yards from CLE 35 to end zone, Touchback.
  6. 6-S.Suisham extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.
  7. 6-S.Suisham kicks 70 yards from PIT 35 to CLE -5. 11-T.Benjamin to CLE 14 for 19 yards (22-W.Gay).
  8. 4-1-CLE 23 (14:55) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 52 yards to PIT 25, Center-57-C.Yount. 84-A.Brown to PIT 34 for 9 yards (22-B.Skrine; 24-J.Bademosi).
  9. 4-17-PIT 41 (13:08) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 30 yards to PIT 11, Center-57-C.Yount, fair catch by 84-A.Brown.
  10. 6-S.Suisham extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.
  11. 6-S.Suisham kicks 67 yards from PIT 35 to CLE -2. 11-T.Benjamin to CLE 18 for 20 yards (51-S.Spence). PENALTY on CLE-53-C.Robertson, Offensive Holding, 9 yards, enforced at CLE 18.
  12. 4-5-CLE 14 (8:49) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 57 yards to PIT 29, Center-57-C.Yount. 84-A.Brown to CLE 35 for 36 yards (81-J.Dray; 30-J.Leonhard). PENALTY on PIT-84-A.Brown, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at CLE 35.
  13. 6-S.Suisham extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.
  14. 6-S.Suisham kicks 74 yards from PIT 35 to CLE -9. 11-T.Benjamin to CLE 9 for 18 yards (22-W.Gay).
  15. 4-4-CLE 43 (5:07) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 38 yards to PIT 19, Center-57-C.Yount. 84-A.Brown to PIT 20 for 1 yard (33-J.Poyer). PENALTY on PIT-20-W.Allen, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 20.
  16. 4-1-PIT 19 (3:17) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 56 yards to CLE 25, Center-60-G.Warren. 11-T.Benjamin ran ob at CLE 25 for no gain. PENALTY on CLE-59-T.Carder, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CLE 25.
  17. 4-4-CLE 21 (1:51) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 49 yards to PIT 30, Center-57-C.Yount, fair catch by 84-A.Brown. PENALTY on PIT-98-V.Williams, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 30.
  18. 2-3-CLE 16 (:03) (Field Goal formation) 6-S.Suisham 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.
  19. 6-S.Suisham kicks 65 yards from PIT 35 to end zone, Touchback.
  20. 8-B.Cundiff extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-5-S.Lanning.
  21. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 65 yards from CLE 35 to PIT 0. 13-D.Archer to PIT 12 for 12 yards (38-A.Berry). PENALTY on PIT-57-T.Garvin, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 6 yards, enforced at PIT 12.
  22. 4-6-PIT 10 (11:41) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 39 yards to PIT 49, Center-60-G.Warren, fair catch by 11-T.Benjamin. PENALTY on CLE-53-C.Robertson, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 49.
  23. 8-B.Cundiff extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-5-S.Lanning.
  24. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 65 yards from CLE 35 to end zone, Touchback.
  25. 4-24-PIT 44 (4:48) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 38 yards to CLE 18, Center-60-G.Warren, fair catch by 11-T.Benjamin.
  26. 4-3-PIT 7 (15:00) (Field Goal formation) 8-B.Cundiff 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-5-S.Lanning.
  27. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 72 yards from CLE 35 to PIT -7. 13-D.Archer to PIT 10 for 17 yards (36-K.Williams).
  28. 4-15-PIT 5 (14:11) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 46 yards to CLE 49, Center-60-G.Warren, fair catch by 11-T.Benjamin.
  29. 8-B.Cundiff extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-5-S.Lanning.
  30. 8-B.Cundiff kicks 65 yards from CLE 35 to end zone, Touchback.
  31. 4-10-PIT 20 (9:28) (Punt formation) 21-R.Golden pass deep left to 41-A.Blake to PIT 45 for 25 yards (21-J.Gilbert).
  32. 4-5-PIT 50 (7:19) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 38 yards to CLE 12, Center-60-G.Warren, fair catch by 30-J.Leonhard. PENALTY on CLE-97-J.Sheard, Personal Foul, 6 yards, enforced at CLE 12.
  33. 4-7-PIT 35 (4:37) (Punt formation) PENALTY on CLE-5-S.Lanning, Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at PIT 35 – No Play.
  34. 4-12-PIT 40 (4:37) (Punt formation) Penalty on CLE-57-C.Yount, False Start, declined.
  35. 4-12-PIT 40 (4:37) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 40 yards to end zone, Center-57-C.Yount, Touchback.
  36. 4-5-CLE 45 (2:00) (Punt formation) 9-B.Wing punts 45 yards to end zone, Center-60-G.Warren, Touchback.
  37. 4-21-CLE 9 (:59) (Punt formation) 5-S.Lanning punts 48 yards to PIT 43, Center-57-C.Yount, downed by CLE-59-T.Carder.
  38. 2-10-CLE 24 (:05) (Field Goal formation) 6-S.Suisham 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-B.Wing.