13 seconds: The infamous miscommunication from the coaching staff to Tyler Bass on whether he should squib kick or kick the ball deep on the kickoff. The miscommunication ultimately led to the Bills parting ways with special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. As a result, Matthew Smiley was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2022 after spending five seasons as a special teams assistant with the Bills.
Smiley’s third season as coordinator has not gone as anticipated. After a thrilling 44-42 loss to the Rams, Sunday, Buffalo’s poor special teams showed. Sam Martin had a second-quarter blocked punt, which became a scoop and score. When the Bills needed special teams most on the game’s final play, the Bills trotted nine players out on the field. It should be noted that the Bills had 12 players on the field against Denver last season in a walk-off field goal situation. An inexcusable special teams outing Sunday has just magnified season-long issues.
Smiley’s field goal unit is 27th in extra-point percentage (91%) and 19th in field goal percentage (82%). The field goal unit has struggled with protection, as they have allowed multiple blocked extra-points, and Tyler Bass has had his fair share of misses.
The kickoff and kick-return units haven’t done many favors for the Bills’ field position. Buffalo’s kickoff unit allows the third most yards per return (32.0) and allowed a kick return touchdown in week one. The kick-return unit is 27th in yards per return (25.1) and has only had 13 returns greater than 20 yards, which is good for 26th.
The punt and punt return units have been slightly better. The punt team sits around the middle of the pack in average net per punt (41.9), while the punt-return group is 7th in return average (11.9).
Come playoff time, Smiley’s group will have to improve. Buffalo’s special teams have been an area of exploitation all season long and they will have to be better if the Bills make a deep playoff run.