The Green Bay Packers entered Week 6 with big questions surrounding their special teams unit.
They had two kicks blocked in back-to-back games, putting special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia under fire. Then, kicker Brandon McManus was ruled out with a quad injury, forcing the Packers to sign Lucas Havrisik a day before their game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
While the signing paid dividends on Sunday and the Packers' special teams generally looked improved, there were still things to be frustrated about when it comes to Bisaccia's unit.
Bisaccia Continues to Be on Thin Ice After Frustrating Week 6 Decisions
There were a few avoidable mistakes on special teams throughout the game. Rookie Matthew Golden made a head-scratching decision to make a fair catch inside the ten-yard line. Bo Melton was called for a holding penalty, Ty'Ron Hopper was called for a personal foul, and Chris Brooks missed two tackles, per Pro Football Focus.
As a result, the Packers received a 60.4 special teams grade by PFF. While that is a significant improvement from the previous two weeks, it would still rank as the seventh-worst grade among season averages for all 32 teams. Right now, the Packers have the second-lowest ST grade in the league, only above the Los Angeles Rams.
One of the more frustrating aspects of the special teams unit has been the uncertainty around return men. Savion Williams and Bo Melton did a decent job as kick returners on Sunday, but punt returns left plenty to be desired. After Golden's aforementioned mistake, the Packers gave punt return duties to Romeo Doubs, who returned two for 14 yards.
Aside from the fact that Doubs wasn't effective in punt return duties, using him in that role is a highly questionable decision. Doubs is arguably the best wide receiver on the team, and once again led the team in targets with nine against the Bengals. For the season, he has 37 targets, more than any other Packer. Risking your WR1 in punt returns for marginal benefits is not the optimal strategy, and Bisaccia would be the first to admit that.
Last week, it was reported that the veterans wanted to step up to fix Green Bay's special teams struggles. While it is a positive sign that players want to contribute to the less glamorous aspects of the game, it raises questions about Bisaccia's ability to lead this unit if he has to rely on the team's most valuable players for the most basic things. Despite the overall improvement in special teams play on Sunday, Doubs taking over as the punt returner should continue to worry Packers fans moving forward.