'SPECIAL DELIVERING'
Jets’ kicking, return games excel while rest of team struggles
Below the wreckage of this long-lost season, underneath the disappointment of the current six-game losing streak, beyond the depressing nature of this failed year that was supposed to be the foundation for brighter days ahead, is a glimmer of hope.
The Jets, believe it or not, might finish No. 1 in something, and it isn’t in angering their long-suffering fans. Their specialteams unit, a subject of ridicule in recent years, is one aspect for which the higherups in Florham Park can be proud.
“The [guys are] taking pride in it,” special teams coach Brant Boyer said following practice Thursday. “They’ve come together in that room. I’ve been really satisfied [with how they’ve played].”
ESPN has them ranked No. 1 in expected points added by special teams, a formula that takes all of their special teams into account. FootballOutsiders.com ranks the Jets’ unit second. On Sunday, kicker Jason Myers made five field goals, becoming the first Jet to do so twice in the same season. The unit also blocked two kicks for the first time since 1988, and Andre Roberts returned a kickoff 59 yards, continuing his standout season.
The group might have two Pro Bowlers in Roberts and Myers, both offseason additions. Both have shined. Myers has missed just two field goals in 30 attempts, making six of seven from 50 yards or beyond. Roberts is second in the NFL in punt return average (15.3), is also averaging an impressive 25.6 yards per kickoff return and has notched a league- leading 655 yards on kick returns.
“Obviously, we know that we’re going to be up for it,” said Roberts, who has a locker right next to Myers. “That would be pretty cool to have my teammate right there with me in the Pro Bowl, especially for special teams.”
More than those two in particular, Boyer said the key has been continuity, not having to coach an ever-changing group. Players were brought in during the offseason who could play on special teams, and even when injuries hit, coach Todd Bowles has kept the same players with Boyer, even if it meant extra work for some.
“It’s really, really made the difference,” Boyer said. “Keeping the same group around has really, really helped.”
Typically, the intense and in-your-face Boyer nitpicked when asked about the group’s performance this year, saying the objective is winning games. There is always more that can be done, he said. Boyer would like to see his special teams produce more points, to take pressure off the offense and defense. The only stats he’s concerned with, he said, are wins and losses.
“Everybody’s tired of losing in this damn building and you want to do as much as you can to put some points on the board,” he said.
Of course, there is always the alternative. In Boyer’s first two years as the team’s special-teams coach, his unit performed poorly, ranked 25th by Football Outsiders last year. In December 2016, he infamously said, “I don’t want to get fired” amid his struggles. Special-teams ace Rontez Miles smiled when asked about Boyer. He’ll frequently find him in his office long after others have left, working on new tactics.
“I’m very happy for him,” Miles said. “He’s a guy that puts the time in.”
It was Boyer who raised expectations for this group early on, as far back as OTAs. He wanted his players to think big, to forget about their problems in recent years.
“We all had that goal of trying to be No. 1,” Roberts said. “That’s the goal we set at the beginning of the year. We weren’t talking about top five or anything like that, or just being better. We all had the goal of being No. 1. If you shoot for No. 1 and you get it, you’re happy. If you fall short and you’re No. 2 or No. 3, you’re still pretty happy.”
At least there is one segment of the team that can make the Jets smile.