Firing of Packers Coach a ‘Hot Topic’ After Week 4 Mistakes

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 09: Interim head coach/special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia of the Las Vegas Raiders walks on the field before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

It’s not exactly easy to sum up a team’s special-teams situation in one convenient measurable number, but Pro Football Focus collates all the aspects that come with those units–kickoffs, punts, punt and kick coverage, field goals and extra points–into one grade. And if that grade is credible, then it paints a poor picture of the Packers special teams under coach Rich Bisaccia.

That was well on display in the fourth quarter of the team’s disappointing tie with the Cowboys on Sunday in Week 4, when return man Kavontae Turpin returned a kickoff 45 yards immediately after the Packers scored a touchdown for a 34-30 lead. The Cowboys started their next drive on the 46-yard line, and four plays later, Dallas retook the lead with a touchdown.

That came well after the Packers had an extra point blocked on their second touchdown against the Cowboys, and allowed the ball to be returned the other way for a 2-point score, which turned out to be the difference in the tied score.

Packers Special Teams Committing ‘Critical Errors’

A week earlier, of course, the Packers allowed a blocked field goal to set up their loss against the Browns in an embarrassing showing in Cleveland.

Additionally, the special teams unit has committed six penalties this season. There’s no denying that the special teams unit that has consistently let the Packers down under Bisaccia, who was considered one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL before he arrived in Green Bay.

“There’s been some critical errors that have obviously really hurt us,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

“We’ve got to do a better job in practice. That’s disappointing, obviously, two weeks in a row where you have a kick blocked. I thought we did a lot of good things throughout the course of the week to correct the problem, obviously it wasn’t enough.”

GettyPackers head coach Matt LaFleur.

Rich Bisaccia in the Crosshairs?

At The Athletic, there was speculation this week about Bisaccia’s job security. Beat writer Matt Schneidman called Bisaccia’s potential firing a, “hot topic,” when asked in a mailbag, “Would you fire Rich Bisaccia? This is now four years running of terrible special teams play.”

Wrote Schneidman: “This is the hot topic on the Green Bay streets right now. Perhaps the best measure for special teams success is Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings. The Packers finished 22nd and 29th in them in 2022 and 2023, Bisaccia’s first two seasons in charge of Green Bay’s special teams.

“This year, specifically the last three games, Bisaccia’s special teams have been underwhelming because of penalties, two critical kicks blocked, several explosive returns allowed and questionable kick return strategy. I’m not going to call for his job in this mailbag, but I don’t blame fans who are leaning that way.”

Packers 30th in Special Teams Rankings

Schneidman noted that Gosselin, a veteran NFL writer, no longer rates special teams. But PFF does, and as things stand for Bisaccia and the Packers, things do not look good. The Packers have a special-teams grade of 51.4, which is 30th in the league.

Here’s the year-by-year breakdown.

Packers Special Teams Under Rich Bisaccia

It probably would not be helpful to fire the special teams coach here four weeks into the NFL season. Still, looking at the trajectory the Packers‘ special teams has been on, the unit could not necessarily get much worse.

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney