Oakland punter shows sprint savvy, picks up 42 yards
There was one bright spot for the Raiders on Sunday. An unexpected one, given how things have been going in recent weeks.
Johnny Townsend, who was drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round and was the reason that entertaining punter Marquette King was released before the season, had been struggling.
Townsend came into Sunday’s game against the Chargers with a 41.9-yard average. Not good and definitely not what the Raiders needed, in terms of getting advantageous field position.
But on the first drive of the game, Townsend made a huge contribution. On 4th-and-4 from the Raiders 37, a fake punt was called. Townsend took off like a sprinter, and ran 42 yards.
Yes, his rushing average was longer than his punting average, three minutes into the game.
“I completely blacked out on the play,” Townsend said. “I can’t even tell you what happened during it. … It was a fake we had practiced the last couple of weeks.”
Head coach Jon Gruden said it was one of his few play calls that worked. Gruden has been criticized for drafting a punter who has looked shaky and letting King go.
“I really believe in that kid,” Gruden said. “You can see that he is one of our fastest players. He’s a tremendous athlete. He took his medicine for a while like a lot of us, but he is going to be a really good punter for us.”
Townsend punted at Florida, but in high school, he was also a free safety and a quarterback, as well as a baseball player. He’s an all-round athlete.
Still, with that type of speed, should he be a punter?
“There are guys on the field that have way more speed than I do,” he said, with a laugh.
Of course, the Raiders couldn’t capitalize on the great position Townsend gave them, the Chargers’ 21-yard line. Oakland went for it on 4thand-goal from the 1 but didn’t make it.
Townsend has been working on being more consistent.
“Just simplifying the game as much as possible,” he said. “Trying to slow the game down and see things better. That’s something that comes with experience and learning how to mentally prepare the right way.”
Following his 42-yard carry, Townsend had punts of 57, 51 and 54 yards, finishing the day with a 54-yard average. He seemed inspired.
“It was a nice confidence boost,” Townsend aid. “It’s fun to have bright spots and feed off it.”
He was one of the few Raiders who could do that Sunday.