Special Numbers

Sporting News, The, Dec 28, 1998

The NFL has produced some telling special teams statistics in '98. Take a glance at some record-challenging numbers (for a 16-game season): Nothing pleases or angers a special teams coach more than a kick or punt return for a touchdown. If your team executes the TD return, the coach is all smiles and intense clapping. If your team surrenders the TD return, the coach is all frowns and intense clapping. NFL returners need two touchdowns to break the season record for touchdown returns:

Season     KR    PR    Total

1994       16    16      32
1998(*)    16    15      31

Minnesota's Gary Anderson, (32-of-32 FGs; 58-of-58 on extra points) heads a class of kickers that could break the 1996 record for field-goal accuracy in a season.

Season      FGM    FGA     PCT

1996        732    915     80.0
1998(*)     666    832     80.0

With one game left, Jacquez Green, Terry Fair and Tim Dwight have a chance to become the first pair of rookies to lead the NFL in punt and kick returns. Rookies have done it before--sort of. In '60, Abner Haynes averaged 15.4 yards on punt returns for the AFL Texans and Tom Moore averaged 33.1 yards on kick returns for the Packers.

Punt returns
Player            Team          No.    Yds.    Avg.    TDs

Deion Sanders     Cowboys       24      375    15.6     2
Jacquez Green     Buccaneers    30      453    15.1     1
Andre Hastings    Saints        22      307    14.0     0

Kick returns
Player            Team          No.    Yds.    Avg.    TDs

Corey Harris      Ravens        32      908    28.4     1
Terry Fair        Lions         51    1,428    28.0     2
Tim Dwight        Falcons       33      887    26.9     1