Dolphins' special teams unit impacting the game in more ways than one

The Miami Dolphins special teams unit has seen quite a bit of production in all areas this season. Whether it's a big kickoff return, a blocked punt, a blocked field goal or anything else, there's always something good to talk about after each game when discussing this unit. One of the keys to their success has been Dion Jordan.

Many fans complain that Dion Jordan is being used on special teams, mainly because of his draft status and the fact that they feel he should be focusing on his defensive skills. However, what many also don't realize is that Jordan has been instrumental in blocking several punts and field goals this season. Earlier this week, he talked about what it means to play on special teams.

“It feels good getting a sack, but I feel like the stats show the team that blocks kicks, field goals or punts, their side is going to win games. At that time in the game, it felt really good. We actually flipped the field and gave the ball to our offense in our plus territory. It was big-time.”

Another player who was a key part of Monday's game was Don Jones even though he was just signed days before. He'll need to step up over the next several weeks and continue to make an impact.

“Donnie made a good contribution," Joe Philbin said. "We’re fortunate that he has familiarity with what we’re doing. Things haven’t changed dramatically. There’s a comfort level with him coming back and how he fits into the scheme and special teams that he was comfortable with. R.J. Stanford did a lot of good things for a guy that hadn’t played this year. There are certainly things to improve and continue to work on, but I thought it was good.”

Despite all the positives coming out of the special teams unit, there is one concern and that is the consistency, or lack thereof, from kicker Caleb Sturgis. This season, he has made only 24 of 29 field goal attempts and has also had several questionable kickoff attempts. Philbin said that he needs to get better.

“Sure, I’d like to think every single time we stroll out there and kick a field goal, I think every coach would tell you they want the kicker to make the field goal. That’s something we’re going to continue working with him on, every day at practice. Absolutely.

Many don't talk about the impact of special teams on a weekly basis but it's an important part of every game. When a unit has success and directly impacts the outcome of the game, we often don't hear about it but remember that they could be just as important as offense and defense any given week.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

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