The Green Bay Packers are back near the bottom of Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings.
After jumping from No. 32 (last) to No. 22 in Rich Bisaccia’s first season as special teams coordinator in 2022, the Packers fell back seven spots and finished 29th in Gosselin’s rankings for 2023.
Bisaccia’s special teams ranked above only the Washington Commanders, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams this season.
It’s nothing short of a disappointing finish for a perpetually dysfunctional special teams group now led by one of the NFL’s highest paid coordinators. The Packers had several veterans on special teams — including several hand-picked by Bisaccia — and still struggled.
Overall, the Packers committed an NFL-high 19 accepted penalties on special teams. The league average was 11.
Rookie kicker Anders Carlson ranked 24th in the NFL in field goal percentage and missed an NFL-high five extra points. Punter Daniel Whelan ranked 24th punting average, 29th in net punting and 26th in percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line.
The Packers covered kickoffs fine and got more production out of kick returner Keisean Nixon, but Nixon and Samori Toure both lost fumbles on punt returns. Bisaccia’s group also gave up a punt return for a touchdown in Week 3. Far too often, Nixon took the ball out of the end zone on kickoffs and was stopped short of the 25-yard line, which inflated his return yardage but hurt field position.
The Packers also ranked 29th in punt return average and 26th in opponent punt return average.
Green Bay did rank in the top 10 in average starting field position.
The Dallas Cowboys, who will host the Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round on Sunday, ranked 12th.
Packers in Gosselin’s special teams rankings
2023: 29th
2022: 22nd
2021: 32nd
2020: 29th
2019: 26th
2018: 32nd
2017: 16th
2016: 29th
2015: 17th
2014: 32nd
2013: 20th
2012: 12th
