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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Within a stretch of five minutes in the third quarter Sunday afternoon, the Arizona Cardinals epitomized their struggles on special teams this season. After holding the Los Angeles Rams to a three-and-out at the Rams' 9-yard line, the Cardinals gave up a 70-yard punt by Rams punter Johnny Hekker, who kicked from his own end zone and placed it perfectly away from returner Patrick Peterson to flip field position and pin the Cardinals back at their own 21. From there, Arizona went three-and-out. Andy Lee's punt went 40 yards, but the Rams’ Pharoh Cooper returned it 30 yards, giving Los Angeles prime field position at the Cardinals' 30. It took the Rams just six plays to score a touchdown and extend their lead to 13 with about 20 minutes left in the game. “The punt return was just poor technique,” coach Bruce Arians said. “Our wing on that side just totally lost contain and fell inside. They blocked a gunner, and once he reversed field, it was free sailing from there. You have to contain it. You can’t follow your own color down the field. You learn that in high school, and a couple of our guys were following each other down the field. It’s something we work every day on.” That sequence was just part of the Cardinals’ special-teams issues Sunday -- and all season -- that general manager Steve Keim saw when he turned on the tape after Arizona’s 32-16 loss. And while he tried to bite his tongue talking about it, he didn’t hold back. “I’m never going to go on record or publicly and bash any of our players individually or one of our coaches,” Keim said during an interview on 98.7 FM in Phoenix early Monday morning. “The bottom line is, and it’s [not an] excuse, our special teams, it’s been unacceptable. Point blank. That’s something that needs to improve, and I’ll just leave it at that.” Keim was clearly frustrated following another abysmal special-teams performance, and rightfully so. The Cardinals had a field goal and an extra point blocked -- although the NFL informed coach Bruce Arians that the plays should’ve been flagged because the Rams' defense illegally rushed the kicker, hitting the long-snapper before he was able to establish a blocking position. They also gave up 15 yards per punt return and 50 yards in kick returns while allowing Hekker to hit that 70-yard punt that eventually led to a game-deciding touchdown. But Sunday’s performance on special teams wasn’t an anomaly for the Cardinals. They’ve been struggling all season. They’ve been struggling for a while. They’re ranked in the bottom five in the NFL in eight special-teams categories: expected points added by special teams (31st), field goal percentage (29th), opponent field goal percentage (32nd), net yards per punt 28th), opponent net yards per punt (30th), opponent yards per kick return (28th), average starting field position on kickoff returns (30th) and opponent field goal blocks (30th). While the Cardinals haven’t been ranked that low in that many categories before in Arians’ tenure, they’ve still consistently hovered near the bottom in some of the same categories over the past five years. They were ranked 30th in expected points added by special teams the past two seasons. They’ve were ranked 32nd in net yards per punt in 2016 and 2015, and 30th in 2014. They were in the bottom three in the NFL in opponent net yards per punt in three of the past five years, including this season. Arizona began the Arians era ranked last in the NFL in average opponent starting field position on kickoff returns during his first two years and then improved to the middle of the pack in 2015 and 2016, only to drop off again this season.  Three-time Pro Bowl gunner Justin Bethel, who’s taken on more of a role as a defensive back this season, said inconsistency has plagued Arizona’s special teams this season. To fix that, he added, Arizona has to focus on the “little things.”
“Sometimes you just got to be more aware of what the team is trying to do to you and making sure you know what they’re going to try to do to you, and plan for it before the game actually gets there,” Bethel said. The Cardinals are on pace for the worst overall special-teams season in Arians’ five years. They’ve already missed seven field goals (an Arians-era high). They’re close to giving up the most yards and net yards on punts. They have the second-lowest kickoff return average in five years and the third-lowest average punt-return rate -- by almost a yard lower than the next highest. Their average starting position on kickoffs or touchbacks is the second lowest in the past five years. And this is the second season in the past five without blocking a field goal. Blame, however, can’t solely be placed on the players. Throughout the past five years, 148 players have taken at least one snap on special teams, including five punters, four long-snappers and three kickers. And while the players change, there’s been one consistency: special-teams coordinator Amos Jones. Jones has been able to avoid Arians’ ire over the past five years, regardless of how poor the on-field performance has been. Blame, when needed, has been put on the players -- not Jones. On Wednesday, Arians expressed his contentment with the special teams. “Other than last week, I thought we’ve been solid most of the season,” Arians said. “Our punt returns were up. Kickoff returns were hit or miss, but no, I think we’ve been fine, other than the blocked extra points and field goal, which were illegal.” Turnover on the field has been one of the roots of all the special-teams struggles, Bethel said. “I think before we had a group that was used to playing off each other and people got hurt and people had to leave,” Bethel said. “I think bringing in new guys trying to learn how to play with everybody else, that’s something that you just got to get used to. I think that’s something they’re doing and we got a lot of injures and we got guys playing places or positions that they never played or played that often. “Even though practice is still hard, we can’t always go full speed on everything. So I think just seeing it is enough and figuring out what you got to do yourself to make sure you’re able to play whatever it is you need to play.”
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