The upcoming 2021 season is going to be really competitive in the NFC West. The Seahawks will have several games that will be closely contended, both within the division and general.
So to use a phrase taken from the leading Cycling team in the world, marginal gains could be crucial in turning potential losses into potential wins.
One area that often goes overlooked is that of special teams. The Seahawks ranked second in this department across the NFL in 2020, which was a largely unheralded contributor to winning the NFC West.
Can special teams make the difference for the Seahawks in 2021?
“Yes” is the answer.
Larry Izzo takes over as special teams coordinator in 2021 having joined the Seahawks after successful stints as a special team coach with the Giants and the Texans. Izzo was primarily a special teams player during his playing career, in which he collected three Super Bowl rings whilst playing for the Patriots.
The Giants special teams were instrumental in them gaining an overtime victory in the conference championship game via a blocked punt and a Lawrence Tynes field goal. They subsequently went on to win the Super Bowl that year, netting Izzo his fourth Super Bowl ring.
In his two-year tenure with the Texans as a special teams coach, their special teams went from being ranked worst in the NFL to being a top ten unit. So, there is every reason to believe in Izzo as the special teams coordinator in 2021.
Added to that, all the special teams personnel that took the Seahawks to that overall 2nd ranking in the NFL last season have been retained. Indeed they have been potentially added to via the draft and from Un-drafter free agents.
All this could be critical to turning those tight games in 2021 into crucial wins that make the difference between a 10-7 record and a 13-4 record.
The difference makers
Some of the guys on special teams will be known to the Seahawks faithful and receive their necessary recognition, but many go partly or completely unnoticed.
But during the course of the season, these are the guys that win you the field position battle or make that crucial play that leads to the turnover that changes the entire flow of the game.
We all notice the subsequent Russell Wilson pass for a TD or the receiver that makes the vital end zone catch, or the running back that forces his way over the goal line.
But oh so often we can forget the special teams guys who put them in the position to make that play.
Jason Myers
Kickers get paid to make kicks, right? Well, yes, obviously. But let’s not assume this is easy and just gloss over their contribution. Myers got much credit for going 24 of 24 on field goals last season and also made 49 of 53 PATs.
Ask Pete Carroll how nice it is to be able to coach the end of a game when you have such a reliable kicker to make that crucial game-winning kick, as opposed to feeling you have to go for it on fourth down to get that bit closer.
Michael Dickson
The life of a punter is not a glamorous one, no Seahawks fan ever wants to see him on the field after all. But when he has been needed Dickson has been amongst the very best in the league in his fledgling 3 year NFL career. Due to the tremendous work by Dickson and his special teams colleagues, Dickson has had just one unit blocked in 213 attempts.
For his career, he averages net 43.9 yards per punt. In 2018 he pinned the opposition inside their own 20 on 35.9 of punts, this increased to 45.95% in 2019 and increased again last season to a superb 52.46%.
Kick returners
The Seahawks used six different guys to return kicks in 2020, the four that did the bulk of the work were Travis Homer, D.J.Reed, Freddie Swain and David Moore. Moore has left via free agency, whilst Reed had the best average of the other three at 27.4 yards on kickoff returns, whereas Moore averaged just 15.7 yards per kickoff return.
Again ask Russell Wilson how he feels about starting a drive between the 25 and thirty yard lines as opposed to inside his won 15 and you will get some idea of what huge difference these yards make.
The Seahawks have added potential kick returners in D’Wayne Eskridge, Connor Wedington and Cade Johnson. So coach Izzo could have an embarrassment of riches in that area in 2021.
You gotta love these Seahawks
Whilst the kickers and the kick returners do receive some recognition for their work, the other special teamers receive little recognition for putting their bodies on the line and making life easier for the star players.
Just watch a game on TV and you will see a punt made a short return due to a great tackle being made, only for the camera to immediately switch to Russell Wilson jogging on the field and no attention given to the unsung hero that just made that vital tackle.
Let me try and give these guys some love and look at who might warrant further appreciation in the 2021 season. To do so I will look at them in order of how many snaps they played on special teams in 2020.
Cody Barton led the Seahawks special teamer in snaps played with 321. Barton was in the top ten tacklers in the Pac-12 in each of his four years at Utah and has continued to be a ferocious tackler on special teams for the Seahawks making him an integral part of the special teams unit.
Nick Bellore is going to get paid $4.5 million by the Seahawks over the next two seasons, but his name barely gets a mention throughout the season.
He made the Pro Bowl last season as purely a special teams player, which shows you how good he was. He played 293 snaps on special teams in 2020 and was the undoubted special teams leader for the Seahawks.
The future’s bright
Ben Burr-Kirven equaled Bellore’s snap count of 293 on special teams last season. BBK was another Pac-12 tackling machine, leading the Pac-12 in tackling in his final season at Washington and winner Pac-12 defensive player of the year.
Now a starting linebacker on defense, BBK continues to be oh so effective on special teams too.
Will Dissly and fellow tight end Jacob Hollister come next in terms of special teams snaps. Hollister has moved on from the Seahawks but had a snap count of 283 on special teams last season whilst Dissly appeared 213 times. Dissly is not just an effective backup TE but has also shown his value on special teams.
Somebody will get the opportunity to pick up the 283 snaps vacated by Hollister in the coming season.
Ryan Neal is the next man up, a special teams snap count of 202 last season. Again, he will be vying for one of the final roster spots in 2021 as a backup safety, nickel back and special teamer. But his work in 2020 on special teams could well be the reason he makes it at the expense of another candidate from the many options available in the secondary.
If it does, kudos to you Ryan for finding more than one way to make a difference.
These five guys added to Myers, Dickson and the kick returners gave the Seahawks the second-best special teams unit in the NFL in 2020 according to the SI.com rankings, only New England were above them.
I have already mentioned the possible addition of Eskridge, Wedington and/or Johnson as returners in 2021, rookie Jon Rhattigan could also be a valuable addition.
So with only Hollister having departed from this excellent unit, coach Izzo has plenty of options as we approach the 2021 season and the Seahawks could well have the best special teams unit in 2021.
And as I said at the beginning these guys could be the unheralded difference makers in 2021, so let’s make sure we show our appreciation for them.