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Position Recap: Special teams

Jeff Walcoff, Staff Writer

01.17.2008

The following is the sixth in a series of features recapping the Browns' 2007 season position by position.

Special teams

Overview: With the help of new coordinator Ted Daisher, the Browns special teams were indeed "special"in 2007, providing excellence in nearly every aspect of the game.

The group was led by Pro Bowl kick returner Joshua Cribbs, who set a Browns' single-season record for kick return yards (1,809) and tied the mark for kick return touchdowns (2). His 2007 kick return average of 30.7 ranks second in team history for a single season behind Billy Lefear in 1975 (31.7).

Cribbs also returned punts, taking one back 76 yards for a score in the season finale against the 49ers. Meanwhile, his season-long punt return average of 13.5 ranks third in team history behind Leroy Kelly in 1965 (15.6) and Dennis Northcutt in 2002 (14.7).

In the kicking game, Phil Dawson was as impressive. Dawson set a career high with 120 points -- the most points ever in a single season by a Browns kicker -- knocking through 26-of-30 field goal attempts and 42-of-43 extra points.

He was at his best under pressure, converting kicks to win games in overtime against Seattle and at Baltimore and making two kicks against Buffalo Dec. 16 in blizzard conditions.

Punter Dave Zastudil missed four games early in the season with a back injury and was replaced by Paul Ernster in Game One and then veteran Scott Player thereafter. Zastudilfinished the season with a 41.8-yard average on 49 punts, dropping 14 inside the 20.

On coverage units, the team was led by Cribbs, who made 23 tackles, including 4 in the season finale. Also helping were Mike Adams (18 tackles), Brandon McDonald (17 tackles), Chaun Thompson (16 tackles), Nick Sorensen (14 tackles) and Kris Griffin (14 tackles).

The club finished 16th in the NFL in punt return average allowed and eighth in kick return average allowed.

MVP: Dawson should get some serious consideration, but how can you take the distinction away from Cribbs, who might've set the NFL record for kick return yards in a season had teams not stopped kicking the ball to him late in the year?

High point: Against Baltimore on Nov. 18, everything came together. Cribbs set a team record with 245 yards on kick returns on 7 attempts. His 306 total return yards rank second in NFL history for a single game. Meanwhile, Dawson kicked a dramatic 51-yard field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime and then added a 33-yarder to win the game. Cribbs' 41-yard kick return in OT set up the game-winning score.

Key Stat: Cribbs, who now is the team's all-time leader in nearly every kick return category, posted the second-most kick return yards in a single season in NFL history behind only MarTay Jenkins' 2,186 yards for Arizona in 2000.

Areas of concern: Concern? The only concern is that teams will continue to kick away from Cribbs, limiting the star's opportunities to mark game-breaking returns.

What's ahead: Dawson appears to still be in the prime of his career. Cribbs is a surefire stud and Zastudil is still a young, quality punter. Everything looks rosy for the future of the Browns' special teams.