On 26 occasions, Tupa punted from the opposing side of the 50-yard line nine of those pinned opponents inside their own 10, and only five resulted in touchbacks.Įven in the one area in which they didn't have at least 10 points of value, the Browns had a player make the Pro Bowl: punt returner Eric Metcalf. Meanwhile, Tom Tupa's gross punting average of 40.1 yards ranked 24th in the league, but that isn't as important as his ability to pin opponents deep. The Browns also ranked fifth in net yards per kickoff (43.1), and Randy Baldwin led the league with 26.9 yards per kick return.
Matt Stover connected on 93 percent of field goal tries in a season when the NFL average was just 79 percent. The Browns gained at least 10 points of value in four of the five phases of special teams. The total absence of the Patriots from our top 30 makes this the only Bill Belichick team on the list, and special teams were a big part of lifting Cleveland to an 11-5 record in Belichick's second year as head coach. That comes a little before my time in following the Browns, but I’m still familiar with the likes of Matt Stover, Tom Tupa, and Eric Metcalf: Last, but not least, the Browns were featured in 1994 at No. Unfortunately, Zastudil went on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon at midseason, and replacement Reggie Hodges was subpar, averaging just 39.8 gross yards per punt (36.4 net). Phil Dawson and Billy Cundiff combined to hit 23 of 25 field goals, and punter Dave Zastudil was outstanding, averaging 44.7 gross yards per punt (39.1 net). The difference between this unit and the 2007 one that ranked 19th overall? Cleveland's specialists were better in 2009. This was another All-Pro year for Josh Cribbs, as Cleveland led the league in kick return value and ranked second in punt return value, scoring four total return touchdowns. The Browns’ next appearance on the list was on the Top 5 for their 2009 season, which again saw a fantastic year from Cribbs, and some solid kicking and punting production despite injuries derailing the seasons of Phil Dawson and Dave Zastudil:
Cribbs also averaged 13.5 yards per punt return with another touchdown, and for good measure, he added on 18 special-teams tackles as a gunner, tied for fifth overall. We measured the value at 29.9 estimated points worth of field position compared to average, and that's the best kick return season in the past 30 years. The former Kent State quarterback averaged 30.7 yards on kickoff returns, with two touchdowns. Josh Cribbs was the Steve Tasker of the 21st century, and this was his greatest season. Although he’s not mentioned, Phil Dawson connected on 26-of-30 field goals that year. 19 for their 2007 season, which was Josh Cribbs ’ highlight year as a kick returner, punt returner, and gunner. Can you guess which years?Ĭleveland first appears on the list at No. The Browns were featured in three of the 30 years as having the best special teams rating. Special teams, on the other hand, was a different story. Their first two lists featured offense and defense, which unfortunately did not see the Cleveland Browns earn top billing in either category. This week, Football Outsiders has been featuring the 30 best teams of the past 30 years according to their DVOA ratings.
0 kommentar(er)
