FRISCO, Texas — Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen said Thursday the Dallas Cowboys should have found a way to keep the final kickoff in play against the Baltimore Ravens and run time off the clock, rather than sending it into the end zone with seven seconds left.
“Yeah, find a way to just make that decision to kick that ball and keep it in play and make clock run out, make some seconds come off,” Sorensen said.
Brandon Aubrey had tied the game at 31 in Rio de Janeiro. The touchback gave Baltimore the ball at its own 35, and the Ravens won 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal one completion later.
Aubrey had already sent two “dirty ball” kickoffs out of bounds, the low, spinning kicks aimed at the landing zone between the goal line and the 20. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday that one went out at the 1 and the other around the 20, and that Dallas told Aubrey to kick normally after the second.
Sorensen said Aubrey could have placed a normal kick in play instead.
“Do I have trust? Yeah, absolutely. I have trust in him because, I mean, obviously the fact that he kicked out of bounds played a role in the decision to kick it deep, even though the right play was to do the dirty ball or squib it or whatever else,” Sorensen explained. “Well, we can kick a normal one in play. We did that also. And he can place it in different spots, aiming for the red line or numbers. It’s not 100%, but, yeah, there’s ways to just kick a normal kickoff and just keep it in play and just cover it.”
Schottenheimer covered the communication on that kick in detail Tuesday, and Sorensen left it there.
Sorensen still likes the kick. His kickoff unit leads the NFL in average return yards allowed per play and ranks in the top five in opponent drive start, he said, and the landing zone is harder to hit than it looks because of the ball’s shape and spin.
“I think the dirty balls are tough. That’s why you don’t see everyone doing it. I mean, that 20 yards may seem like a big space, but it’s not,” Sorensen said. “Nobody’s a hundred percent, so there is a technique to it. There are some different techniques, like you’ve seen with the Eagles, using a holder, using the tee, not using the tee, and, again, making it land in that 20 yards can be tough. Plus, the ball has some spin to it.”
Brandon Aubrey Can Separate Dirty Balls From Field Goals
Aubrey played soccer before football, and Sorensen said Aubrey told him he can separate the dirty ball from his field goal stroke. Sorensen held off on using it last season until they had a full offseason together.
“And for him being a soccer player, he was like, I think I can compartmentalize those kicks differently. I don’t think a lot of people can, a lot of kickers can. And that’s why last year I didn’t want to do it,” Sorensen explained. “I said, you’re saying that, but I haven’t gone through an offseason fully of doing this with you. So I didn’t want to mess with points.”
Nick Sorensen Calls Brevyn Spann-Ford A Pro Bowl-Type Special Teams Player
Baltimore also blocked a 59-yard field goal attempt by Aubrey late in the third quarter, with the Ravens ahead 17-13. Sorensen said the rusher got a great jump and the Cowboys did not protect well enough inside out.
“Guy got a great jump. We didn’t protect well enough inside out. To me live, it looked like he was offsides, but it wasn’t because they didn’t throw a flag. So they timed it up good,” Sorensen said. “And him getting that great jump and getting a good jump off it and keying it put stress on us on the edge, which then you compensate, and then it’s a trickle-down effect. They bluffed us at the tight end spot. We’re leaning at the tight end. We’re too wide at the wing. So all that trickle-down effect, their D-gap rusher got through, and that’s what happened. It wasn’t good enough.”
Tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford has been one of the bright spots on the coverage units. Sorensen said Spann-Ford was top five in the NFL in special teams tackles last season after barely playing on kickoffs the year before, and that he has a defensive player’s mentality.
“I think he’s just, he’s one of the best teamers. I know he’s a great tight end, but I think he’s one of the best,” Sorensen said. “It’s not just how he tackles. It’s how he blocks. It’s how he attacks blocks. I think every part of his style is, I used to joke with him last year. I’m like, you’ve got like a defensive guy’s mentality, and he does. He’s just, he’s a football player, and he’s productive.”
Tight end Jake Ferguson gave Spann-Ford the nickname Young Gladiator. Sorensen said he has never coached an offensive player that size at this level on kickoff coverage.
“I haven’t. Not that tall, and not as an offensive player. I mean, I’ve played with some and coached some guys that were good offensive players on special teams kickoff and punt and stuff, but not like, not to this caliber,” Sorensen said. “I mean, to me, he’s like a Pro Bowl-type special teams player, because it’s such an impact. If I could use all four, I’d love to use them on punt return too, but I got to pick something to kind of spell them here and there.”
Schottenheimer said Wednesday that Spann-Ford has earned more chances in the passing game and that Dallas will run anything with him that it runs with Ferguson. The Cowboys play at the Houston Texans on Sunday at noon CT.
