Brant Boyer a big fan of the Patriots’ special teams
Patriots kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson has a fan in Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
Boyer gushed this week when asked about Patterson, who is averaging 30.9 yards per return this year.
“I think he is the best in the game,” Boyer said. “The best kick returner in the game. I think he sets up his blocks, is a patient runner and then explodes and breaks tackles as good as anybody in this league. I think his size, he has cutback ability. I think he does an outstanding job.
“Their scheme causes you problems. I think they do an outstanding job overall on special teams. They have a ton of special-teams players only. Their building does a hell of a job scouting special teamers, getting special teamers only in their building that don’t play offense or defense and all they do is play special teams. They have seven or eight of them that only play special teams.”I think they do a hell of a job with that, and clearly special teams is a focus in that building. I think they do a great job.”
Though the Jets special teams have been better this year under Boyer, he still has concerns about his kickoff coverage team and knows Patterson, who has one touchdown on a return this season, can hurt them.
“I think there’s certainly some things we can improve on,” he said. “I think at times we’ve done really well and at times I don’t think we are running hard enough. It’s something that I’ve gotten on my guys pretty hard on. I think that sometimes they start relaxing a little bit because they’re thinking it’s going to be a touchback all the time. It’s something I haven’t been happy with and I’ve expressed that a bunch. If they do that, we are in trouble this week. It’s something that I have been on them already this week about. We are going to have to be on point and everything with that, that’s for sure.”
New Jets cornerback Trumaine Johnson has had a rough start to tenure. After signing a five-year, $72.5 million deal this offseason, Johnson has missed five games because of a groin injury and gotten burned on a few plays, including a 47-yard pass on the first play against the Bills.
“He has given up some plays,” coach Todd Bowles said. “Obviously as has everybody else. He’s been banged up a little bit, but he’s working himself back into shape and back into form, just trying to keep getting better from there. He’s made some great decisions on some plays that hadn’t gone his way and he gave up a few big ones.”
