RamView year in review: special teams

STLToday

Johnny Hekker (46.3 avg, 44.2 net [NFL record]): A

Sadly, Hekker was the Rams’ best player a couple of weeks, though that was possible because of his machine-like ability to launch deep, high, unreturnable punts at the sideline. He revived a lost special-teams art, set an all-time record for net punting and landed Pro Bowl honors.

Greg Zuerlein (26-28 FG, 34-34 PAT): A

The number of outright bombs Zuerlein hit last season, along with Hekker’s excellence, kind of drowned out the fine season the Rams’ placekicker had. Those numbers don’t lie, and when the Rams needed Legatron to hit a bomb, he did, beating Arizona with a 48-yarder at the gun and beating Tampa with 3 FGs, including a couple of bombs. He also neutralized opposing kick return games with consistently deep kickoffs.

Jake McQuaide: A-
People called McQuaide perfect last year, when I actually remember a number of bad snaps that Hekker handled well, but I’m not aware of many bad snaps in 2013, and he hasn’t ever snapped one so poorly as to throw off the kicker. Why not an A+, then? What’s one of my favorite plays? Long snapper makes the tackle on punt coverage. Jake’ll need more of those to lift his grade.

Daren Bates: B-

An excellent rookie free agent find, Bates might have been the Rams' best coverage teams player after Rodney McLeod. Those two combined on a fumble return TD covering a kickoff in Houston that was one of the plays of the season. Bates wasn't penalty-free by any means, but was reliably around the ball without presenting Armstrong's high penalty risk.

Chase Reynolds: C+

Very positive factor in coverage and positive factor blocking on punt returns. Good story making the team in training camp, where he should have shown enough versatility as an emergency RB to stick around this roster for a while.

Justin Veltung: C+

Good fill-in punt returner after Tavon Austin got hurt. Secure with the ball and gets upfield quickly and decisively. Presented a bit of a big-play threat.

Cody Davis: C-

Not irreplaceable, but made some key tackles in 2nd half of season and shows plenty of potential.

Quinton Pointer: D

Sorry I always seem to be picking on Quinton. Didn't make the main roster out of training camp but eventually got promoted from the practice squad. We know he can be a reliable special teams player with consistent reps.

Ray Ray The Penalty Machine Armstrong: F

If there is a Ray Ray Nation somewhere, there can be little doubt its national flag is yellow. Rookie free agent Armstrong committed an epidemic of special teams penalties, to the point it made little sense to have him out on the field. What did he do on special teams to merit the cost of a crippling penalty to put the offense in the hole almost every week? Armstrong committed THREE special teams penalties just in the last game against the Seahawks. As good an athlete and effort player as he is, Armstrong HAS to quit screwing his teammates over with his dumb penalties.

Looking ahead: Including Tavon Austin fielding punts, this should be a very stable unit from '13 to '14. If they cut down on the penalties, AHEM, RAY RAY, they can be one of the top units in the league. It's been several years, though, since the Rams broke training camp with even a clear-cut returner on kickoffs, let alone one who knows what he's doing. That could stay Bennie Cunningham's job, true, but the Rams have to do a far better job cultivating a player to return kicks in the offseason. That should be mission one for John Fassel.

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