Me: having to watch CMC return punts all season

[scpanther22]

 

 

I know he has a handle on it from college but I wish we let someone else do it..seems like so much unnecessary risk

 

[ecu88]

I concur. Our punt team alway sucks, just fair catch it. For god sakes oir players are trying to hurt him on run backs.

[Nails]

We haven't had a real threat back there since 89.  

He's a football player and was drafted 8 overall for a reason.

Let him do it!  Can't wait!

[pantherj]

I don't want him returning punts at all. CMC should pull a Smitty and say he doesn't want to do it. Totally not worth risking him.

[RoaringRiot]

When was the last time we had a PR with a serious injury? Real question. 

[Panther49er]

I think people overreact about this.. I can't remember off the top of my head the last time I saw a PR get seriously injured. Also, there aren't near as many big hits on returners due to rule changes over the years and defenders worried that they're going to get a personal foul and fined big time.. Not saying it can't happen, but I trust CMC back there. He's a smart dude and will make good decisions, rarely putting himself at risk of a dangerous hit. I think the reward is way greater than the risk.

[Kevin Greene]

Enough of this injury talk. One of the reasons he was taken where he was is because he is a complete offensive weapon.

Punting will now be a bad play for the opposition, despite what John Fox thought of the play.

[General_Purr]

I do not like speedsters returning punts. I do not like Byrd or CMC back there at all. Punt hits are brutal and can be game changing in the way he runs... you have special team gunners sprinting full speed as NFL atheletes to knock your block off. Especially a white rookie.

 

I hate it. Id rather Joe Webb or a backup Tight End just go out there and catch it or truck stick a corner back for a few yards. 

[TN05]

17 minutes ago, pantherj said:

I don't want him returning punts at all. CMC should pull a Smitty and say he doesn't want to do it. Totally not worth risking him.

If I recall right Steve never asked to be taken out. If anything he was neutral about it and in specific instances (like the Seattle playoff game in 2005 and the San Francisco game in 2010) actually asked to return them. That was a coaching decision.

[2jakefansinva]

Let football players play football.

[pantherj]

I also want CMC as fresh as possible for our offense. A smaller guy taking hits on punt returns and that energy being burned is not ideal. Save it for the regular offense. Keep him fresh.

[pantherj]

I did a little fishing on Smith's punt returning and found out something I didn't know.

"During a punt return against BYU in 1999, Smith dipped his right shoulder into one defender while another player collided with his left shoulder. His neck bothered him, but he finished the game. X-rays later showed a broken vertebra in his neck."

Yikes.

[L-TownCat]

I enjoy watching good players get touches.  What you're inferring is that you'd rather a subpar player fair catch and waste the opportunity than watch a stud dare the other team to kick it to him.