At the moment I wished to take a look at and provides some like to a place that’s usually underappreciated, punters. Persevering with the sequence I started within the 2023 common season, the purpose immediately is to take a look at some vital present metrics, together with pairing in some new knowledge so as to add situational context.
The place for Pittsburgh has skilled a lot turnover, with the unlucky damage to Cameron Johnston, occurring on his third common season punt try (negated). He was displaying distinction maker qualities within the offseason, devastating for him and the considered what may have been.
Chris Boswell was required to punt for the primary time in his lengthy tenure within the league following that in-game damage, a valiant effort on condition that he’s a kicker. Then the Steelers introduced again Corliss Waitman, who had a earlier stint with the group in 2021, enjoying the final two video games.
Let’s see how issues have stacked up for all punts throughout the league via Week Three.
Right here’s a top level view of the punting metrics:
- Punts (Att).
- Common Yard Line (AYL) = ex. punt from Pittsburgh’s 20 = 80 yard line, Opponents 45 = 45 yard line).
- “Punt yards achieved” (PYA) = a brand new concept/metric, which is punt yards / yard line.
- Yards per try (YPA).
- Common NET yards (NET) = yards punted – return yards – (touchbacks x 20) / punts.
- 50+ fee (50+).
- Contained in the 20 fee (in20).
- Inside the ten fee (in10).
- Returned fee (Ret).
- Yards Per Return (YPR).
- Honest Catch fee (FC).
- Touchback fee (TB).
- Common hangtime (HT).
Listed below are the 2024 league outcomes (for the die-hards) via week three, adopted by a summarized desk for Waitman together with his ranks:
Whereas the pattern dimension is small for the opposite Steelers, we see Johnston’s tied league-bests with no touchbacks and one contained in the 20 on his two makes an attempt. The return items deserve many of the blame for his lifeless final ranks, a 37.5 NET and 28.0 YPR.
Boswell’s outcomes had been low as anticipated on his emergency punt. His 43.0 YPA and three.7 hangtime wasn’t the bottom across the NFL as you would possibly count on although, and the protection and deal with was incredible from Scotty Miller for a no achieve return.
The desk breakdown of Waitman actually reveals his strengths and weaknesses to date. Out of the 34 qualifying gamers with punts this season, he ties for Twelfth in variety of makes an attempt. The very best information has been second ranks in YPA (52.7), 50-plus punts (9), 50-plusrate (81.8), together with a top-five rank in hangtime (4.6, T-4th). He clearly has a powerful leg, and the numbers give context to how properly that has stacked up amongst his friends.
Waitman’s 81.8 fee of 50-plus yarders is incredible, trailing solely Cincinnati rookie Ryan Rehkow (83.3). Third place is available in considerably decrease at 69.2, a strong punter in Titans Ryan Stonehouse. It’s not like Waitman has a low variety of makes an attempt that skew the outcomes, so quite spectacular feat he’s achieved on this younger season.
The flipside is revealed via the opposite numbers although. Booming punts do no good in the event that they go for touchbacks, which Waitman ties for third-most (T-Thirty second) out of the 34 qualifying punters. That was significantly the case in his Week Two debut, and fortunately trended positively the next recreation.
In flip, his different lowest outcomes have been in placement, sadly with a twenty seventh ranked in20 fee, and thirtieth in10 fee. Three punts contained in the 20, and one contained in the ten every tie for Twenty fifth. Encouragingly, final recreation featured the within the ten punt, so a constructive pattern that hopefully continues.
Let’s break the ranks down additional:
Prime 5 Ranks: YPA (second), 50+ fee (second), 50+ punts (T-second), hangtime (T-fourth).
Above-Common Ranks: NET (ninth), returned fee (eleventh), makes an attempt (T-Twelfth), punt yards achieved (thirteenth), YPR (seventeenth).
Beneath-Common Ranks: truthful catch fee (T-18th), common yard line (twenty fourth), punts in20 (T-Twenty fifth), punts in10 (T-Twenty fifth), in20 fee (twenty seventh).
Backside 5 Ranks: in10 fee (thirtieth), touchbacks (T-Thirty second).
This view re-emphasizes the perfect and worst numbers that I’ve already mentioned. Whereas the underside 5 are vital ones to right, having simply two knowledge factors there may be quite encouraging.
Above-average ranks present the punt protection items have fared properly on his makes an attempt, contributing to a strong NET, returned fee, and yards per return. Fortunately, significantly better outcomes than that they had on Johnston’s punts that may hopefully proceed. Seeing Waitman’s 76.5 PYA (punt yards achieved) at thirteenth regardless of a less-than-ideal common yard line (twenty fourth) can also be good to see.
One other barely below-average mark was truthful catch fee, however in any other case the principle phrase to summarize what should enhance is placement. As talked about earlier, we did see a constructive pattern in his second recreation, so hopefully we see that proceed to transpire on the sector and in future research transferring ahead.
That’s the essential hope with how Pittsburgh is constructed, counting on their sturdy protection together with ball management and the sector place battle. Hopefully we see Waitman turn into a worthwhile piece of that vital puzzle.
