New England Patriots: 5 observations from Week 17 win over Jets
By Ben Porter
Punting perfection
I just want to take a moment to give praise to Ryan Allen and Matthew Slater. Together, this duo pinned the Jets inside their own 5 not once, not twice, but THREE times. That’s absolutely incredible.
The first two times, Allen placed the punts perfectly, having them sail inside the Jets 5 yard line. When the ball came down from its beautiful parabolic arc, Slater was waiting for them. He downed the ball and left the Jets no room to work with.
The third time, Allen’s punt bounced out of bounds at the two yard line, giving Bryce Petty and company no hope of, well, anything. The incredible punt placement even led to a safety.
Week in and week out, the special teams unit continues to be the most consistent part of the New England Patriots team.
It may seem like an insignificant part of the game, but special teams can make the difference between a win and a loss. In the playoffs, punting like this could mean the difference between and early exit and a Lombardi Trophy.