Broncos punter Sam Martin receives any given soccer with three variables to contemplate in his try to flip area place: distance, location and cling time.
“It’s positively not simple,” mentioned Martin, an eighth-year NFL punter in his second Broncos season. “It’s a continuing course of and one thing I labored on all offseason.”
In Denver’s victory Sunday towards the Dolphins, Martin’s proper foot aced all three classes with poetic punting. His finest recreation of the yr got here towards one of many NFL’s high return males, speedy Miami large receiver Jakeem Grant, who entered the sport at 14.3 yards per runback.
Martin booted a punt 48 yards, left-to-right, that landed out of bounds on the Dolphins’ 21. Then Martin launched the soccer 52 yards, right-to-left, caught by Grant at his personal 11. Denver security Alijah Holder rapidly compelled him out on the 17.
Martin’s final punt? A 56-yard bomb with no likelihood for a return.
“(Miami) had been doing loads of issues within the particular groups to assist them win and we had been capable of not hand over something there,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio mentioned after his workforce’s 20-13 win. “Sam did an incredible job punting.”
Martin, a former fifth-round NFL draft choice from Appalachian State, has proven a knack for particular ball placement with directional punts to both aspect of the sphere. The place Broncos particular groups coordinator Tom McMahon has referred to as for enchancment, although, is elevated cling time. Martin lifted punts into the air for 4.25, 3.89 and 4.14 seconds towards the Dolphins.
“(Martin) desires to work his tail off on that hangtime,” McMahon mentioned final month. “He’s completed a pleasant job hitting the perimeters. You don’t know which means he’s going to punt the ball so it makes it laborious on a returner. He’s confirmed that he can try this for us.”
The Broncos (4-6) host the Saints (8-2) on Sunday and should account for New Orleans large receiver Deonte Harris — a punt return man averaging 12.2 yards per try with a protracted of 42. Denver’s small margin of error towards the NFC South leaders means Martin will doubtless play an element if the Broncos pull off an upset.
Simply don’t count on Martin to experience his personal punting success.
“It’s a superb feeling, however actually on the finish of the day, it’s what I receives a commission to do,” Martin mentioned. “We executed our recreation plan and we obtained out of there limiting (Grant’s) touches. … If I don’t get it completed, it’s extra of a foul feeling than a superb feeling once I really do it (nicely).”
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