Playoffs show special teams shouldn’t be afterthought for Las Vegas Raiders

A muffed punt. Misfires on field goals. And a tipped kick to preserve the lead.

Depending on which team you’re rooting for and on the receiving end of said plays, you’re either thankful for a quality special teams unit or seething at an unproductive one.

But it goes to show that special teams can be an afterthought on an NFL team and it shouldn’t be. Because that backburner unit can be a backbreaking group if it’s not up to snuff. And when those mistakes happen in the playoffs, it’s not only amplified, but it can shatter a team’s Super Bowl aspirations — just ask the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams.

First, let’s start with McVay’s Rams. In a tight NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, punt returner Xavier Smith couldn’t properly field a boot by Seahawks punter Michael Dickson. Smith was moving backwards to align himself with the ball, fell backwards, with the ball hitting his arm as he went down to the grass. That allowed Seattle to recover at the Los Angeles’ 17-yard line and one play later, quarterback Sam Darnold threw a dime to wide receiver Jake Bobo touchdown to give the Seahawks a 24-13 lead.

Granted, there’s no guarantee the Rams would’ve driven for the score had Smith properly hauled in the punt. But the ballgame ended up 31-27 Seattle and it’s without question the sudden-change and special teams gaffe cost L.A. dearly. It also laments to the fact that despite being an offensive genius, McVay hasn’t taken special teams to heart as the team has been the worst special teams unit out of the 32 teams dating back to 2020.

Curious where the Raiders are amongst that list? Seventh. And guess who is king of the mountain? You guessed it, the Seahawks.

Flipping to the AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Broncos and Mother Nature had her way with all three phases of the game: Offense, defense, and special teams. But even before the snow fell, each defensive unit stymied the offense and points came at a premium. Which meant field goal range was a boon in a tightly contest game.

Denver kicker Wil Lutz whiffed one a kick before the field at Mile High was covered in snow. And when the Broncos lined up for a game-tying fourth-quarter field goal was blocked (tipped) and Lutz watched his second attempt not go through the uprights. New England defensive tackle Leonard Taylor got his fingertips on the kick forcing the miss.

Lutz’s counterpart — New England’s Andy Borregales — nailed one of his three attempts showcasing that the AFC title tilt was rough for both special teams units. Patriots punter Bryce Baringer struggled with his boots for much of the day with eight punts for 303 yards (37.9 average) with a long of 45 yards. His counterpart — the Broncos’ Jeremy Crawshaw — was booming his boots in comparison with six punts for 309 yards (51.5 average) with a long of 60.

Perhaps, there will be a time where most NFL teams play within a dome and weather elements are only the concern of getting to and leaving the game. Until then, special team remains an integral part of a winning and losing football team.

Thus, once the Raiders make their decision and hire a new head coach, that new lead man must assemble a quality coaching staff to ensure all three phases of the game are not only quality, but working with the same goal in mind: Not stinking up the joint.

Be it Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak or another candidate that assumes the mantle as Las Vegas head coach, a special teams coordinator that can bring the Raiders unit back to prominence is ideal. Fortunately, Kubiak got to see up close what McVay’s ignorance to that particular phase of his football team did. But it appears McVay has learned the error of his ways as the Rams hired Bubba Ventrone as the new special teams boss. Ventrone most recently served as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2023-25) and was the special teams boss for the Indianapolis Colts (2018-22). Over that course of time, Ventrone’s special teams group ranked amongst the league’s best.

Adding a special teams coordinator that can not only shore up the blocking up front on field goals and punts, but also ignite a kick and punt return game that’s been flatlined and not electric, allows for the Raiders to have a semblance of complementary football.

Which is an ever-so fleeting thing when it comes to the Silver & Black.