Hes really younger than Muhlbach (38) and Prater (35 ).
ALLEN PARK– Matt Prater was simply called the NFCs special groups gamer of the week for the 11th time, and you can make a persuading case he wasnt even Detroits finest specialist in Arizona.
Jack Fox sent another 65-yard punt into the stratosphere, ending up being the very first Lions player ever to have 65-yard punts in back-to-back weeks. Thats quite excellent. He now leads the league in punting (53.1 yards per effort), net punting (51.1) and even average hangtime (4.78 seconds). Thats also respectable. Lets call it the informal triple crown of punting.
What a special start for Detroits unique groups under first-year coordinator Brayden Coombs.
” I got to thank you for sharing that stat with me,” Coombs stated. “Busting Mules balls about his age has actually quickly ended up being one of my preferred pastimes, so the more ammo I have in that classification, the better.
Hes like an extra coach actually with just his financial investment and his time dedication to what were trying to do. He plays a position where no ones really ever going to really hear his name unless he ever screws something up. I will state, I continue to be taken aback by sort of the legend of Don Muhlbach here in Detroit.
” Then we rely on Jamal to the nth degree to make great choices and go make plays, and he did a great task of catching that thing and getting straight upfield. Like you said, that series right there, we put our offense back in good position. That was a part of the game where we felt we did our job.”
Simply like that, the Lions had the ball at Arizonas 37-yard line, a substantial sequence for a team tracking by 3 and struggling to find completion zone all day. Prater utilized the short field to bind the game with a field goal, then later booted the 39-winner as time ended.
Do not forget long snapper either, where Muhlbach stays constant as constantly. He simply played in his 247th profession game, moving previous Fran Tarkenton into sole possession of 51st location on the all-time list. Hell move into the leading 50 next week, presuming he bets New Orleans. And considering hes missed simply one video game since 2006 and none at all considering that 2009, that seems like a quite excellent bet. Death and taxes, infant.
Coombs was worked with by the Lions last offseason regardless of being just 33 years of ages. That makes him the youngest unique teams organizer in the league, and the fourth-youngest coordinator overall, behind just Panthers offending coordinator Joe Brady (30 ), Cowboys offensive organizer Kellen Moore (31) and Texans offensive planner Tim Kelly (33 ).
However Coombs came up because outstanding special teams program in Cincinnati, and head coach Matt Patricia brought him in to tear apart Detroits scheme in the 3rd phase. Through 3 weeks, the Lions have been among the best in the league by practically any procedure. They rank third general according to the sophisticated analytics assembled by FootballOutsiders.
Fox has actually been so great that hes not only the No. 1 punter in the league, according to ProFootballFocus, however the distance between him and the No. 2 guy is greater than the distance in between the No. 2 guy and every other punter in the league.
“They did a terrific job in defense, we didnt get home, but a lot of times when you push like that, even if you dont get the block, you force a bad punt or low punt or a less-controlled direction punt. We took place to get one right down the middle of the field. If you go back and look, Tony McRae really makes a hell of a block there.
” I talk about our job on special groups being whatever it takes to help the group win,” Coombs said. “Some games, thats explosive games.
Gunner Tony McRae did an excellent job downing the ball at the 2. The Cardinals were supported versus their own objective line, then went-three-out and the Lions sent their block team onto the field. They didnt get a hand on the ball, however McRae provided an exceptional individually block in the open field to assist spring Agnew for a 19-yard return up the middle of the field.
Jamal Agnew appears like hes regained that All-Pro form from 2017 and leads the league in punt returns (17.5 lawns per attempt). Do not forget about long snapper Don Muhlbach either, who just played in his 247th career game and is about to move into the top 50 on the NFLs all-time list in Sundays video game against New Orleans.
” I talk about our job on unique teams being whatever it takes to help the group win,” Coombs said. Thats precisely what the Lions have actually done, better than every other team in the league through 3 video games. The Cardinals were backed up against their own goal line, then went-three-out and the Lions sent their block group onto the field. Coombs came up in that outstanding unique groups program in Cincinnati, and head coach Matt Patricia brought him in to tear apart Detroits plan in the third phase. He simply played in his 247th profession video game, moving past Fran Tarkenton into sole ownership of 51st location on the all-time list.
Prater received the nationwide awards for his buzzer-beater, and deservedly so. Do not ignore the total contributions of the special teams unit in that video game either, since they played a pivotal function in helping Detroit take a win on the road.
Thats exactly what the Lions have done, much better than every other team in the league through three games. And theyre not simply stat-padding either. Their situational work has actually been exceptional, and played a key role in their first win of the season on Sunday in Arizona.
Fox had the 65-yard bomb against the Cardinals, and included 60- and 54-yarders. His best punt simply may have been his shortest, a 45-yarder that stuck at Arizonas 2-yard line while the Lions were still routing by three points in the 4th quarter.
