Covering the new dynamic kickoff has been an issue for the Falcons
FLOWERY BRANCH — Linebacker JD Bertrand is one of the key players on the Falcons’ kickoff coverage units. The Falcons (4-8) will need to cover kicks better when they face the Seahawks (9-3) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Falcons have let out a rash of long returns over the past four games, including a 83-yard return in the 27-24 loss to the Jets on Sunday.
“The biggest thing on special teams is just doing your job,” Bertrand said. “If one person is out of their gap and creates a hole. That’s the biggest thing, making sure that guys do their job.”
Bertrand played 238 special-teams snaps (78%) last season as a rookie. He has played 238 snaps (77%) thus far this season.
The NFL instituted the new kickoff return rule before the 2024 season and revamped things somewhat for 2025. In the name of player safety, the traditional kickoff was eliminated.
Last season, the Falcons allowed 738 yards on 27 kickoff returns (27.3 yards per return), which ranked 20th in the NFL. The longest return allowed was 53 yards.
This season the Falcons have allowed 1,161 yards on 39 returns (29.8 yards per return), which ranks 32nd in the NFL. The longest return was the 83 yards they gave up to the Jets.
That explains why after taking the lead against the Jets, the Falcons elected to kick the ball into the end zone and let the Jets start at their 35-yard line.
The Falcons allowed a 75-yard return against the Saints on Nov. 23. The Colts ripped off 49- and 50-yard kickoff returns Nov. 9.
“Coach Marquice (Williams, special-teams coordinator), he sets the direction,” Bertrand said. “Beyond that it’s very much a matter of, like in order for all of us to get our job done as a collective whole and being able to stop returns, great returns, it goes back to individuals doing their jobs.”
Teams are creating holes for their returners. Seattle has dangerous returners in Rashid Shaheed and Cody White. Shaheed was acquired in a trade with the Saints.
“You have to avoid kick side (getting beat on the side the ball where the ball is kicked),” Bertrand said. “That’s one of the big things we talked about. If you are kick side, you have to be able to leverage the ball back and make sure that you are beating your block. If you’re not beating your block, then you drive him back so that it shortens that gap or closes that gap.”
Against the Jets, the Falcons got caught running a stunt and one player was double-teamed to open up the hole for kickoff returner Isaiah Williams.
“Well, we have to do a better job of attacking the blocks,” Williams said. “One player got double-teamed and kind of got pushed toward our sideline. And then we had a (stunt) in the middle of the field with two of our better players.”
The Falcons plan to eliminate those mistakes and try to fight harder to get off their blocks.
“We just (have) to make sure that we clear the block,” Williams said. “Even when you’re getting grabbed or whatever, you got to clear the block so you can put yourself in position to make a play when it comes to that.”
Williams has had to juggle the lineup weekly.
The Falcons were without some of their top coverage players in some games. KhaDarel Hodge, DeAngelo Malone and Josh Woods did not play against the Jets. Hodge was a healthy scratch and was caught up in the revamping of the wide receiver group a year after making the Pro Bowl as a special teamer.
Malone suffered a broken ankle against the Colts in Berlin and is on injured reserve. Woods (hamstring) returned to practice and is expected to play against Seattle.
“But it’s next-man-up mentality,” Williams said. “Yes, those guys weren’t out there. That is a fact. Those guys weren’t out there. But it’s the next man up.”
Williams has to make do after the inactives are decided.
“We’re dressing 40 on that day (versus the Jets),” Williams said. “Every game, the 48 (players on the game-day roster) changes. So, if the 48 changes on every game, and then there’s personnel changing on offense, and there’s guys getting opportunities to play more on offense, you take from special teams. But that doesn’t matter.”
That’s the life of the special-teams coordinator.
“Whoever’s out there, they got to go out there and execute,” Williams said. “So, it’s always the next-man-up mentality, whether it’s offense, defense or special teams.”
Falcons coach Raheem Morris was asked if he needs to use more starters on the coverage units.
“You always consider that anyway,” Morris said. “Tyler Allgeier is one of the guys that plays for us on mostly special teams. We’ve got a lot of guys out there that play that way.”
The Falcons will look at using more starters or consider letting teams start at the 35.
“You’ve got to put people out there to get the job done,” Morris said. “So, we’ve always done that. We always will do that. We’ll always look at the focus of that when it comes to personnel as well.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
