Joshua Cribbs
A kick return-touchdown is one of the most dynamic plays in the NFL. One score can quickly shift the momentum of a game.
"It's an answer," says Cleveland Browns kick returner-wide receiver JOSHUA CRIBBS, who has 10 career combined kick return-touchdowns, including an NFL-record eight career kickoff return-touchdowns. "A kick return-touchdown brings momentum in your favor because their offense just scored, so they are kicking it off to you. For you to answer right back, it gives them the feeling that they have to score again, which shifts the momentum to you."
Buffalo Bills rookie kick returner-running back C.J. SPILLER, who registered a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown in Week 3, certainly agrees.
"It brings a lot of excitement," says Spiller. "The main thing you're trying to do is get field position for your offense, and trying to swing the momentum for your team. I think that's why returners can be known as game-changers."
Through four weeks of the 2010 NFL season, there have been 11 combined kick return touchdowns (8 KR, 3 PR). The 11 total kick return touchdowns can challenge for the most combined kick return-touchdowns through the first five weeks of a season since 1970
Among the keys to being a great returner are speed, quickness, instincts and a good special teams unit.
"If you have great blockers and everybody is on the same page, it makes the return guys, job a whole lot easier," says Spiller.
New York Jets special teams coordinator MIKE WESTHOFF knows the necessity of a good return unit. Westhoff is now in his 10th season with the Jets and has led a consistently productive return unit on special teams during his tenure.
"A good return specialist is really a must in the NFL today," says Westhoff. "There are some great return specialists in the NFL that contribute to teams winning and losing, particularly teams winning every single week. You are very blessed if you've got one, and if you don't, you better get one, because most teams do."
2010 WEEK 5 schedule (october 10-11)
Byes: Miami, New England, Pittsburgh, Seattle
(All times local)
Sunday, October 10
Denver at Baltimore, 1:00 PM
New Orleans at Arizona, 1:05 PM
Jacksonville at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Tennessee at Dallas, 3:15 PM
Chicago at Carolina, 1:00 PM
San Diego at Oakland, 1:15 PM
Tampa Bay at Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Philadelphia at San Francisco, 5:20 PM (NBC)
Atlanta at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
St. Louis at Detroit, 1:00 PM
Kansas City at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM
NY Giants at Houston, 12:00 PM
Green Bay at Washington, 1:00 PM
Monday, October 11
Minnesota at NY Jets, 8:30 PM (ESPN)
2010 WEEK 4 results (october 3-4)
Byes: Dallas, Kansas City, Minnesota, Tampa Bay
ATLANTA 16, San Francisco 14
Houston 31, OAKLAND 24
NY Jets 38, BUFFALO 14
Washington 17, PHILADELPHIA 12
CLEVELAND 23, Cincinnati 20
SAN DIEGO 41, Arizona 10
GREEN BAY 28, Detroit 26
NY GIANTS 17, Chicago 3
NEW ORLEANS 16, Carolina 14
Baltimore 17, PITTSBURGH 14
Monday, October 4
ST. LOUIS 20, Seattle 3
New England 41, MIAMI 14
Denver 26, TENNESSEE 20
JACKSONVILLE 31, Indianapolis 28
2010 WEEK 3 results (SEPTEMBER 26-27)
BALTIMORE 24, Cleveland 17
Philadelphia 28, JACKSONVILLE 3
Cincinnati 20, CAROLINA 7
ST. LOUIS 30, Washington 16
Dallas 27, HOUSTON 13
ARIZONA 24, Oakland 23
KANSAS CITY 31, San Francisco 10
Indianapolis 27, DENVER 13
MINNESOTA 24, Detroit 10
SEATTLE 27, San Diego 20
NEW ENGLAND 38, Buffalo 30
NY Jets 31, MIAMI 23
Atlanta 27, NEW ORLEANS 24 (OT)
Tennessee 29, NY GIANTS 10
Pittsburgh 38, TAMPA BAY 13
CHICAGO 20, Green Bay 17
NFL 2010 week 2 results
ATLANTA 41, Arizona 7
DENVER 31, Seattle 14
Tampa Bay 20, CAROLINA 7
OAKLAND 16, St. Louis 14
CINCINNATI 15, Baltimore 10
NY JETS 28, New England 14
Kansas City 16, CLEVELAND 14
SAN DIEGO 38, Jacksonville 13
Chicago 27, DALLAS 20
Houston 30, WASHINGTON 27 (OT)
Philadelphia 35, DETROIT 32
INDIANAPOLIS 38, NY Giants 14
GREEN BAY 34, Buffalo 7
Miami 14, MINNESOTA 10
Pittsburgh 19, TENNESSEE 11
New Orleans 25, SAN FRANCISCO 22
NFL 2010 week 1 results
Thursday (September 9)
NEW ORLEANS 14, Minnesota 9
Sunday (September 12)
TAMPA BAY 17, Cleveland 14
TENNESSEE 38, Oakland 13
Green Bay 27, PHILADELPHIA 20
Miami 15, BUFFALO 10
Arizona 17, ST. LOUIS 13
CHICAGO 19, Detroit 14
SEATTLE 31, San Francisco 6
HOUSTON 34, Indianapolis 24
WASHINGTON 13, Dallas 7
JACKSONVILLE 24, Denver 17
NEW ENGLAND 38, Cincinnati 24
NY GIANTS 31, Carolina 18
PITTSBURGH 15, Atlanta 9 (OT)
Monday (September 13)
Baltimore 10, NY JETS 9
KANSAS CITY 21, San Diego 14
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