NFC South: special teams
Time to talk about special teams as we continue to unveil the All-NFC South team for the 2009 season.
Kicker: John Kasay, Panthers. This one’s not even close. In a year when just about every other NFC South kicker suddenly got old, bad or injured, Kasay was the model of consistency. Kind of sums up his career.
Punter: Thomas Morstead, Saints. Kind of a tough call here because Carolina’s Jason Baker actually had slightly better punting stats than Morstead and Atlanta’s Michael Koenen. But Morstead and Koenen both kicked off and did it very well. I chose Morstead, the rookie, in a very close call over Koenen.
Long snapper: Jason Kyle, Saints. You’ve probably never heard of him, but that’s the best thing you can say about a long snapper. In my eyes, this guy is the best in the business and has been for a long time.
Return man: Clifton Smith, Buccaneers. Yeah, I know he got hurt and missed significant playing time. But this guy still ended up leading the league in kickoff return average and wasn’t bad on special teams.
Kicker: John Kasay, Panthers. This one’s not even close. In a year when just about every other NFC South kicker suddenly got old, bad or injured, Kasay was the model of consistency. Kind of sums up his career.
Punter: Thomas Morstead, Saints. Kind of a tough call here because Carolina’s Jason Baker actually had slightly better punting stats than Morstead and Atlanta’s Michael Koenen. But Morstead and Koenen both kicked off and did it very well. I chose Morstead, the rookie, in a very close call over Koenen.
Long snapper: Jason Kyle, Saints. You’ve probably never heard of him, but that’s the best thing you can say about a long snapper. In my eyes, this guy is the best in the business and has been for a long time.
Return man: Clifton Smith, Buccaneers. Yeah, I know he got hurt and missed significant playing time. But this guy still ended up leading the league in kickoff return average and wasn’t bad on special teams.
The All-NFC South midseason special teams
November, 12, 2009
11/12/09
12:08
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
It’s time to reveal the selections on special teams for our midseason All-NFC South team.
Punter: Jason Baker, Carolina. A very steady punter, who has made the Panthers forget the rocky days of Todd Sauerbrun.
Kicker: John Carney, Saints. It hasn’t been a very good year for veteran kickers in the NFC South. John Kasay and Jason Elam are well below 80 percent on their field goal attempts. Carney’s only been slightly better at 79 percent, but we have to choose someone to fill this position.
Return man: Clifton Smith, Buccaneers. Start the music. We’ve got a Buccaneer on the All-NFC South team. But this guy deserves it. He’s come back from a brutal hit by Carolina’s Dante Wesley and shown he hasn’t lost a thing.
Long-snapper: Jason Kyle, Saints. He’s switched teams, going from the Panthers to the Saints, but he remains automatic.
It’s time to reveal the selections on special teams for our midseason All-NFC South team.
Punter: Jason Baker, Carolina. A very steady punter, who has made the Panthers forget the rocky days of Todd Sauerbrun.
Kicker: John Carney, Saints. It hasn’t been a very good year for veteran kickers in the NFC South. John Kasay and Jason Elam are well below 80 percent on their field goal attempts. Carney’s only been slightly better at 79 percent, but we have to choose someone to fill this position.
Return man: Clifton Smith, Buccaneers. Start the music. We’ve got a Buccaneer on the All-NFC South team. But this guy deserves it. He’s come back from a brutal hit by Carolina’s Dante Wesley and shown he hasn’t lost a thing.
Long-snapper: Jason Kyle, Saints. He’s switched teams, going from the Panthers to the Saints, but he remains automatic.
BACK TO TOP
Page: 1
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
