JL Skinner made a pivotal impact in the Denver Broncos” 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders with a crucial blocked punt late in the third quarter. Skinner”s helmet connected with a punt from AJ Cole, setting the stage for what turned out to be the game-winning field goal at Empower Field.
This moment marked a significant highlight in Skinner”s career, coming during a match where special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi shifted Skinner”s position to better utilize his physical attributes. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Skinner”s length and strength were key to his success on that play.
“That”s something I”ve been working on all week at practice — taking advantage of that tackle and trying to get off the ball fast,” Skinner stated. “I was ready for the moment. I was thinking about that play all day.”
With just 1:36 remaining in the third quarter and the Raiders facing a critical fourth-and-16 situation from their own 14-yard line, Skinner aligned himself inside of Devon Key. He executed a drive-and-crank technique, managing to split two of the Raiders” gunners who were preoccupied with blocking duties, enabling him to reach Cole.
Although Skinner initially missed the ball with his right arm as it was kicked, the ball struck his facemask and visor. Tyler Badie recovered the loose ball, returning it to the 11-yard line, which positioned Will Lutz for a crucial 32-yard field goal four plays later.
“I didn”t know where the ball was at initially,” Skinner admitted. “I thought I missed it, and I was just hoping it hit something. … After realizing it was blocked, I thought it hit my hand at first, then I saw my visor, and it had a mark from the ball on it. That”s when I knew. It was a heads-up play — or, I”ll say, a head-butt play.”
On a night when the Broncos” offense struggled and Rizzi”s special teams unit experienced multiple missteps, Skinner”s block proved to be a game-changer, highlighting the team”s strong defensive performance. Rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw had a challenging evening, with two poorly executed punts and a squib kick that further complicated the situation for the special teams.
This performance added to the ongoing narrative surrounding the Broncos” special teams, which has faced scrutiny following recent games against Dallas and Houston. Those matches featured noteworthy errors, including a communication breakdown that resulted in a concussion for All-Pro returner Marvin Mims Jr. against the Cowboys.
However, following Skinner”s momentum-shifting play and Lutz”s game-winning kick, defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers expressed an optimistic outlook on the special teams” performance. “Special teams made a big play in a big-time moment,” said Franklin-Myers. “That”s all we can ask for.”
As a key special teams player who has appeared in 26 NFL games without any starts, Skinner hopes this highlight will propel him forward for the remainder of the season. “Tonight, JL showed he”s a consistent player who plays with a physicality that people don”t want to match,” Franklin-Myers noted.
Linebacker Jonathon Cooper and defensive lineman Zach Allen echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of special teams in tight games. Despite acknowledging the need for improvements, the team is focused on the positive aspects of their performance.
