San Francisco 49ers: Report-card grades & analysis from Weeks 1 through 4
By Peter Panacy
. SPECIAL TEAMS. B. .
A year ago at this time, the 49ers were boasting one of the best special teams units in the NFL.
2018 is revealing this unit isn’t quite up to the same par it displayed last season, although one might not look at either punter Bradley Pinion or kicker Robbie Gould as the primary issues.
No, it’s primarily in coverage on kick returns.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is allowing an average of 28.2 yards per kickoff, which is fifth highest prior to Week 4. And while the Niners’ special teamers had fared well in punt coverage, their 2.9 yards-per-return average in this category does not include the 56-yard punt return by the Chargers’ Desmond King in Week 4.
That’ll change the 49ers’ favorable ranking here.
What’s Good
Gould has made all eight of his field-goal tries this season, which is a league high (note: prior to Week 4’s Monday Night Football contest between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs).
And prior to that big punt return in Week 4, the Niners’ punt-coverage efforts were looking good enough too.
Rookie kick returner D.J. Reed‘s 90-yard return in Week 3 was pretty special as well.
What Needs Improvement
Rookie punt returner Dante Pettis, who suffered a knee injury in Week 4, hasn’t established himself as the dynamic playmaker we saw when he was in college at Washington. He’s averaging just 5.8 yards per return, which is a far cry from the numbers he flashed in college.