Special Treatment: Bill Belichick Downplaying Patriots 2022 Special Teams Woes?

The New England Patriots coach gave a vote of confidence to coach Cam Achord despite the special teams gaffes last season.

Confusing chap, this Bill Belichick.

Known as a gruff, no-nonsense talent evaluator who has often shuttled New England Patriots seemingly in their prime because he was indifferent to their past and skeptical about their future, Belichick apparently doesn't apply the same stringent conditions on him or his coaching staff.

Along with this week's eyebrow-raising "the last 25 years" response to a question as to why Pats fans should be optimistic despite not making the playoffs two of the last three seasons, the future Hall-of-Fame coach is also giving a pass to his special teams' coach by ignoring the problems of 2022 and highlighting 2020.

“Well, last year was last year," Belichick said at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix when asked about the special teams' disappointing performance. "There were a lot of things that weren't good enough."

When pressed on the job done by special teams coach Cam Achord, he offered what amounts to a vote of confidence.

"Good coach, yeah," Belichick said of Achord. "Led the league in special teams in ’20. I don’t think that’s the problem.”

Don't get us started on why, then, some Patriots players who were good in 2020 aren't still around in 2023. Instead, let's revisit some of last season's special teams gaffes that contributed to the 8-9 record.

Rookie returner Marcus Jones was a pleasant, game-changing surprise. He made the Pro Bowl, and beat the New York Jets with a walk-off punt return for a touchdown as time expired.

Otherwise ... yuck.

The lowlight was obviously giving up two long kickoff returns for touchdowns in the season-finale loss to the Buffalo Bills that kept New England out of the playoffs. But they also coughed another touchdown, allowed a blocked punt, ranked near the bottom of the NFL in punting and kicker Nick Folk missed five field goals and three extra points.

Belichick may publicly shrug at his team's dismal special teams, but he's also made a priority to fix the obvious problems this offseason. Veteran captain Matthew Slater was re-signed, as was standout Cody Davis. The Pats signed free-agent special teams maven Chris Board, new punter Corliss Waitman and made Joe Cardona the highest-paid long-snapper in the league.

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