Smith and Punt Returns

[goodoleboy]

Watching this playoff game and seeing Ed Reed and Wes Welker returning punts. They are both starters and high profile players. I know Steve doesn't want to do it but why not. Is he that much more valuable to us than Reed and Welker are to those much better teams?

[TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam]

That's a belichick move, using an experienced player in that spot that he trusts.

Same with Harbaugh. A Rivera move in the same situation is to go with Amakamura or something

[goodoleboy]

That's a belichick move, using an experienced player in that spot that he trusts.

Same with Harbaugh. A Rivera move in the same situation is to go with Amakamura or something

Have they done it all year or is this a playoff thing?

[TopCat]

Have they done it all year or is this a playoff thing?

Normally Jacoby Jones returns for the ravens and Edleman for the pats.

[Doc Holiday]

Ya'll are idiots, Smith was our best player for ages when he stopped doing it was because you don't want the opposing team getting a free full force hit on your best player, any coach would be a idiot to let their best player take shots like that. I believe smith has stated that he doesnt want to do them any more either said that like 5 years ago.

but then again what should I expect from a bunch of Cam Newton bandwagon fans that just started watching the team 2 years ago? knowledge and reason? nope how about emotion and ignorance. sigh....

[PhillyB]

or you stack your team with decent blockers and get a decent young returner and a special teams coach with actual coaching abilities

[carolina-chuck]

Please no.

[panthers04100]

Smitty doesn't have the same speed he use to have when he returned kicks.

[goodoleboy]

Ya'll are idiots, Smith was our best player for ages when he stopped doing it was because you don't want the opposing team getting a free full force hit on your best player, any coach would be a idiot to let their best player take shots like that. I believe smith has stated that he doesnt want to do them any more either said that like 5 years ago.

but then again what should I expect from a bunch of Cam Newton bandwagon fans that just started watching the team 2 years ago? knowledge and reason? nope how about emotion and ignorance. sigh....

I an not a recent bandwagon Cam Newton nut hugging fan. I simply noticed 2 of the best coaches in the game using equally high profile players there. It would be a good move in the playoffs without a better option. Smith may be too selfish though.

[goodoleboy]

Smitty doesn't have the same speed he use to have when he returned kicks.

Do you think Reed or Welker are as fast as Smith right now? I don't.

[C47]

Smitty would do it if we needed a boost in a championship game, just like Reed and Welker are doing it with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, and just like Smitty did against the Hawks in the NFC Championship game....

[goodoleboy]

Smitty would do it if we needed a boost in a championship game, just like Reed and Welker are doing it with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, and just like Smitty did against the Hawks in the NFC Championship game....

That was 2005 though. Pretty much Smiths best year. I seem to remember him fielding a punt not that long ago. Maybe Fox's last season?

[KendrickPanther]

Well you sound like a young or new fan so rather than ridicule you I will educate you. Teams do not put their best offensive weapon in harms way like that during the regular season because it's a high risk position and you don't want them taking a big hit right before an offensive drive begins.

Now once you get in the playoffs things change a little. In 2005 Steve won the triple crown for receiving and we put him on punt duties against the Seahawks and he delivered a TD. It's really hard to say what we would have done in 2008. We only forced one punt : / THANKS FOR MAKING ME LOOK THAT UP.

[goodoleboy]

In 2005 Steve won the triple crown for receiving and we put him on punt duties against the Seahawks and he delivered a TD. It's really hard to say what we would have done in 2008. We only forced one punt : / THANKS FOR MAKING ME LOOK THAT UP.

He fielded no punts in either the Chicago or NY playoff games. I doubt he was slated to field one against the Seahawks but the team needed a spark and Fox put him back there.