Self-starters

Regular guys make things happen on special teams

By Jim McCabe, Globe Staff, 2/1/2002

EW ORLEANS - Bobby April thinks the teams are more than special. ''Phenomenal,'' is how he sees it. ''They are phenomenal.''

To a casual observer, the Rams assistant coach may have appeared to be talking about the participants in Sunday's Super Bowl, and in a way, he was. But he was specifically addressing the Patriots' special teams.

There was a sparkle in his eyes and passion in his voice as he spoke, for only a devout football coach can get excited about special teams. But even a casual fan understands that the Patriots are in the Super Bowl because their special teams scored two touchdowns in the AFC Championship win at Pittsburgh.

''You're right about that,'' said April, who has been coaching special teams since arriving in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991. There also were stops in Pittsburgh and New Orleans before he joined Mike Martz's staff in St. Louis this season. It is his job to prepare the punt, kickoff, and field goal teams, and those duties led him to study film of New England's units this week. With great respect, he threw bouquets to his opponent.

''You've got to credit [Bill] Belichick,'' April said. ''He's got Tedy Bruschi out there. He's got [Mike] Vrabel on there. He's got Tebucky Jones out there. He went out and got [Larry] Izzo. He went out and got Je'Rod Cherry. Boy, they are really good.''

April's point strikes at the heart of why the New England special teams are drawing such attention: Belichick considers them so important that even starters are involved. There used to be a mentality in football that special teams were for the scrubs. But Belichick long ago broke that mold, no surprise given that most of his earliest days in the NFL were as a special teams coach, with Detroit, Denver, and the Giants.

''Bill allows me to use the best players we have,'' said Patriots special teams coach Brad Seely.

No one is off-limits, except the quarterbacks. ''Anyone we want,'' said Seely.

So he could take, say, Ty Law or Lawyer Milloy?

''Sure,'' said Seely. ''Bill would have no problem with that. You bet. If I felt this guy could help us on this play, he'd say, `Fine, put him in.'''

Which is why Roman Phifer, Richard Seymour, Troy Brown, and Brandon Mitchell join Bruschi, Vrabel, and Jones to give Seely at least seven starters on special teams. It is an aspect to team chemistry that is not lost on the players.

''We've got Troy Brown returning punts,'' said Izzo, whom the Patriots signed as a free agent last year to fill the void left when Larry Whigham went to the Bears. ''Our most valuable guy on offense, and he's out there returning punts? A lot of teams are afraid to do that, but fortunately our coaches recognize the importance of special teams.''

For the guys who are called upon to do double and triple duty, it's no big deal.

''I feel you should go out there and help the team any way you can,'' said Jones. ''No complaining. Strap up your helmet. Go out there and do it.''

Practicing what he preaches, Jones has been there week in and week out since the Sept. 9 opener, starting at safety and taking a lead role on special teams. He and Cherry are the ''gunners'' on punt coverage, the players who fight off two blockers, sometimes three, to get downfield quick enough to turn the returner toward the middle. He also plays on punt returns.

It is a thankless job, but one Jones performs well. So well, in fact, that Seely said, ''If he needs a rest, we'll take him out for a breather on third down, but he's going to be there on fourth down.''

Only recently did Jones get some relief, spared his duties on field goal defense.

''I was doing a little too much,'' said Jones, breaking into a wide smile.

His teammates have taken notice, too, and the spirit rubs off.

''I think guys look at that,'' said Vrabel, ''and see that he has busted his ass and he's covered six or seven kickoffs and he's the starting safety, so they say to themselves, `Well, I can't be tired.'''

A starting outside linebacker, Vrabel is proud to be an integral part of special teams. The Patriots have allowed just one blocked kick (an Adam Vinatieri extra-point try Oct. 14 against San Diego), and no one has returned a kickoff or punt for a touchdown against them.

Meanwhile, Brown has returned three punts for scores. One of those came against Pittsburgh, a key play that had Steelers safety Lee Flowers moaning and groaning after the game. He criticized his club's lack of effort on special teams, saying starters should be involved, just like New England. But Vrabel, a former Steeler, brushes that off.

''If it was that important to Lee Flowers, he'd have gone to the coach and said, `Hey, put me on special teams,''' said Vrabel. ''People are going to do what they're accustomed to doing. If you want to put starters on special teams, you can. But unless you've got the right guys who are willing to do it, anyone can play their way off special teams.''

You can also lose your job if things go poorly, as they did for Jay Hayes. He's the special teams coach for the Steelers ... er, make that ex-special teams coach. Taking the fall for the loss to New England, Hayes was relieved of his duties Tuesday, just two days after the crushing defeat.

It was very much expected, particularly since the Steelers experienced woes on special teams all season. But the philosophy in Pittsburgh is different, said Vrabel. There, second- and third-string players are used; perhaps starters don't want anything to do with the extra plays.

''You go in with the idea that you're going to play a lot - and you want to play a lot,'' said Vrabel. ''If you weren't playing a lot, you'd be pissed. So why would you be pissed if you play a lot?''

A high point

Seely began his coaching career in 1978 at South Dakota State, arriving in the NFL in 1989 as the special teams/tight ends coach for the Colts. There were stops with the Jets and Panthers before he was brought him to New England by Pete Carroll in 1999. The fact that he was retained by Belichick in 2000 speaks volumes.

''Last week, for a coach, obviously was a real high point because we were able to help our team win the game,'' said Seely, a popular media attraction in New Orleans. He appreciates the praise, but doesn't think his club has a distinct advantage in the special teams department.

''You're only as good as your last game, and the last game they had, they were very good. I know Bobby [April] very well and I think he's probably relishing the challenge.''

If the Rams' special teams are considered their weak link, it's misleading, said Seely, because early in the season, the picture was a mess. In Week 1, rookie Aveion Cason fumbled a kickoff return, so infuriating Martz that Cason was soon cut. For a while, Trung Canidate handled the duties, but Yo Murphy has taken the lead role and has a 21.8 -yard average.

Az-Zahir Hakim did the bulk of the punt returning until coaches had seen enough of his journeys upfield with the ball falling loose. Now, Dre' Bly has moved in, giving Hakim time to reflect.

''At the time, I was hurting the team,'' said Hakim. ''Life goes on.''

Statistically, the Rams are not impressive on special teams (they have yet to return a punt or kickoff for a score this season). But like the Patriots, they haven't had a kick blocked, and while they ranked second-to-last in the NFC in punt and kickoff coverage, it should be noted that New England wasn't much better: 10th in punt coverage, 12th in kickoff coverage.

Yet, neither Seely nor April puts much stock in those numbers, for a variety or reasons. What they look at are the big plays, and in New England, said April, you have special teams that can make them.

Which may not be as sexy as discussing Kurt Warner or Marshall Faulk or Tom Brady or Troy Brown, but it is an important facet of the game.

''Just ask Pittsburgh,'' said Izzo.