49ers Special Teams grade for 2012?

Where can I begin?

~ Miss FG's left and right.
~ Can't block on FG attempts which leads to blocked FG's.
~ Can't cover kickoffs.
~ Can't cover punts.
~ Return men drop punts giving the other team the ball at the 10 yard line....
~ Kickoff return men sometimes get stood up and fumble by getting stripped.

The only thing I really trust is Andy Lee and our long snapper. The rest is total garbage. I'd say D grade or below. Maybe D-.

Our Defense is a powerhouse. With Kaep we may have a more powerful and explosive offense. The coaching staff up and down is among the best in the league. The only thing I can see which can hold us back from the Super Bowl is the Special Teams. But it's so bad it may just hold us back.

It's definitely the weakness on the team. I find myself just saying 'call fair catch' every time, so you can imagine how pissed I was today.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
It's definitely the weakness on the team. I find myself just saying 'call fair catch' every time, so you can imagine how pissed I was today.

A fair catch or roll out of bounds is the best case scenario. I cringe at ever special teams play not involving Andy Lee.

I voted D, but a muffed punt and another miss by Akers are fresh on my mind. Why Ginn tried to catch that kick with the gunner on top of him is beyond me. Then Williams calls for a fair catch at the 5 when he should have let it go, 9 times out of 10 that ball goes in the end zone. Seems like our return men forget everything they are taught when the ball is in the air.

Originally posted by BobS:
I voted D, but a muffed punt and another miss by Akers are fresh on my mind. Why Ginn tried to catch that kick with the gunner on top of him is beyond me. Then Williams calls for a fair catch at the 5 when he should have let it go, 9 times out of 10 that balls goes in the end zone. Seems like our return men forget everything they are taught when the ball is in the air.

It looked like Ginn was trying to beat the gunner before he secures the ball. I'd rather him just fair catch that one with the guy right up on him.

Why must our guys continue to fumble punts over and over btw? I don't see this on too many other teams in the NFL. It seems a punt is just a 50 yards way to advance the ball for other teams on this team.... Did they not learn anything from last year? Do they practice this stuff during the week?

C-. Some good plays and then some God awful ones. Just barely above a D.

multiple blocked field goals. Kick return coverage has been poor. Multiple missed field goals from close range. Special teams fumbles. Not very
good. This has got to get better.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Why must our guys continue to fumble punts over and over btw? I don't see this on too many other teams in the NFL. It seems a punt is just a 50 yards way to advance the ball for other teams on this team.... Did they not learn anything from last year? Do they practice this stuff during the week?

How many times has it actually happened this year?

Originally posted by gavindirishmen:
multiple blocked field goals. Kick return coverage has been poor. Multiple missed field goals from close range. Special teams fumbles. Not very
good. This has got to get better.

Not recently that I can recall.

Originally posted by StOnEy333:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Why must our guys continue to fumble punts over and over btw? I don't see this on too many other teams in the NFL. It seems a punt is just a 50 yards way to advance the ball for other teams on this team.... Did they not learn anything from last year? Do they practice this stuff during the week?

How many times has it actually happened this year?

How many has caused us a SB trip? Inexcusable!

Can't dump Ginn because of one mistake. Dude is as reliable a return man as you can find in the NFL. Especially now that KW is out for the season. Ginn is a fragile mofo tho, so someone else better be ready.

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by gavindirishmen:
multiple blocked field goals. Kick return coverage has been poor. Multiple missed field goals from close range. Special teams fumbles. Not very
good. This has got to get better.

Not recently that I can recall.

Return coverage & Punter have been our ONLY A grade! Kicker & Return Game SUCKS!

Originally posted by ChazBoner:
Can't dump Ginn because of one mistake. Dude is as reliable a return man as you can find in the NFL. Especially now that KW is out for the season. Ginn is a fragile mofo tho, so someone else better be ready.

Ginn is HURT again anyway LMJ will be ready!

Some of this is too harsh. Our coverage units have been doing very well. We had some growing pains but we have shut down some dangerous returners the last few weeks. Lee is comming around. Really it's akers and the FG crew. The crew can be fixed through coaching. Akers needs go pray with St. Anthony to help him find his rythm or he'll be praying with St. Jude for lost causes.