Well, the penalties definately have to stop. It seems like our ST's are flagged about 1 out of 3 times we take a kick or punt back.

While they are apparently looking at a few different things to install to improve the return game what the coach needs to make sure of is that they stop the penalties.

It doesn't hurt so much that we rarely see a big return as it does getting a flag on a kickoff and having to start inside our own 20. I see that happen in games where the team is struggling and not playing so well and then we get that holding call on a return and have to start on our own 15. When your not playing that great having to start from back there doesn't help.

If the player can't get in position to make the block and has to grab the guy yank him off the return team for awhile and let everyone know that won't cut it. I don't know what our numbers are but I would think as far as penalties on returns we have to be one of the worst.

If the ST's aren't going to be a plus and make big plays at least stop putting the team in a hole.

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Whenever I watch a game that includes a fantasy player of mine I always think this way. Just more potential yards for my player 🙂

Part of the issue with ST is always injuries. If you look at the rank of our ST the last 5 years, it coincides with how many are on the injury report. '07 is the healthiest year of the last 5 and the highest ranked ST.
Another part, that also includes penalties, is last year we had to fix the O line and the 3-4 D. If Slocum wants to take the O-line and work on Punting, the OC will say, after we get this problem where we get Rodgers killed fixed. If he said to Dom, gimme all your DBs and LBs so we can work on punt returns, he will get the same kind of answer. They did have more time after mid season to do that. It looked like ST and penalties were improving. But I don't have any stats for that. It is just an impression I got.

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