Just about every week reading and listening to Chiefs analysis, I’ll hear someone (even me) say that the Chiefs are going to get a special teams score because they’re due. The Chiefs scored a lot on special teams over the years so the expectations are very, very high.
This season, however, it hasn’t happened. They’ve gotten some shots on kick returns but most of them have been kicked out of bounds. Similar with punt returns where they haven’t had many opportunities.
Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub was asked about the return game this week and he said simply, “Not good enough.”
“We’re not happy with our return game right now,” Toub said. “We have to do a better job of blocking on kick returns. As far as punt returns we’re getting a lot of pooch punts and they’re hanging the ball up on us and causing fair catches. We’re going to get our opportunities. It’s a long season, any time we have 10 (Tyreek Hill) back there there’s always that chance we’re going to get a ball kicked to us.”
I’ve almost given up on punt returns because teams are so aware of Tyreek. We still get the “Tyreek! Tyreek!” chants when he lines up back there but it’s a deflating feeling knowing that kicker is going to put some serious hang time on it to avoid a return.
On kick returns, the Chiefs should keep bringing them out go give them a shot at scoring or a big return. Akeem Hunt was back there a little bit last week. De’Anthony Thomas has returned kicks before. The Chiefs don’t have Tyreek returning kicks this year (only punts) and you can feel it. No offense to the other guys but Tyreek is on another level.