"If you'll recall, the Bears special teams unit wasn't a strength in the early going. Missed kicks, coverage mishaps, and shortcomings in the punt and kickoff department were constantly popping up in the early portion of the year. Things got cleaned up as the year went on, but those early season struggles from the Bears still stick with me. However, I suppose all is well that ends well because Chicago's football team graded out in the fair-to-middling rage on the season-long special teams rankings."
"It feels worth pointing out that there isn't much correlation between special teams success and overall team success. For instance, the Seattle Seahawks finished third overall in the special teams rankings. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots won the AFC crown despite ranking 16th. The New York Jets, who spent most of the year in the hunt for the No. 1 overall pick, finished with the second-best special teams grade."
Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator stepped away from the team shortly after 2025 special teams rankings showed poor results. The Chicago Bears special teams struggled early in 2025 with missed kicks, coverage mistakes, and punt and kickoff shortcomings. The Bears' unit improved as the season progressed and finished with a fair-to-middling season-long special teams ranking. Rankings were calculated using net punting, opponent net punting, kickoff return, kickoff coverage, and field-goal percentage. Special teams success showed limited correlation with overall team success, as several top-ranked units failed to qualify for the postseason while some lower-ranked teams reached championship contention.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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