Kansas City Chiefs 2013 Report Card: Special Teams, Coaching, And Management

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Junior Hemingway (88) Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

KICK COVERAGE: The Chiefs were not quite as solid on kick coverage as they were in returning kicks. They gave up 24.4 per return, which was the 22nd best mark in the league.

Interestingly enough, the longest return Kansas City surrendered was only 39 yards. Only three teams gave up a shorter, longest return. They seldom swarmed kick returners down early, but they contained them, and didn’t allow them to break off anything big.

GRADE: C

PUNT COVERAGE: Kansas City’s punt coverage was much better. They gave up just 6.5 yards per return, good for the 4th best number in the league. St. Louis only gave up only 79 total yards on 30 returns for a minuscule 2.6 average.

The longest punt return against the Chiefs’ coverage team was 27 yards, the 6th best low return.

GRADE: A

It is impossible to argue that Special Teams Coach Dave Toub didn’t havea gigantic impact on the Chiefs in 2013. They were one of, if not the, best all around special team units in all of football. Only in kick coverage did they not excel. Special teams played a huge part in the Kansas City turn around this season. Four return touchdowns were huge, and the great averages on returns gave the Chiefs nice field position throughout the season.

OVERALL SPECIAL TEAMS GRADE: A