The Green Bay Packers are 9-3-0 and have a solid hold on first place in the NFC North division. But that doesn’t mean the team still doesn’t have areas that need improvement. One of those areas in recent games has been special teams.

The Packers have struggled on special teams in recent years, usually ranking near the bottom of the league overall in that category. This year has been no exception. The Packers are struggling in almost every area of special teams, especially in recent weeks.

While kicker Mason Crosby has been a perfect 14-for-14 on field goals, he has already missed three extra points this season including missing them on back-to-back games against the Bears and Eagles. It’s been a challenging season for Crosby who started training camp on the Covid-19 reserve list and has dealt with several nagging injuries that nearly kept him out of several games. For a few weeks, Crosby was unable to kickoff although he has since resumed those duties.

Meanwhile, punter J.K. Scott has had another slump in November and that has carried on into early December. Scott has shanked a few punts during that stretch, costing the Packers valuable field position. He has also had one punt blocked this season. The former Alabama star has also allowed a pair of punt returns for touchdowns in recent games and made embarrassing efforts at tackles on both of those scores.

Head coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t pleased with the punt coverage and said so after the win over the Eagles on Sunday. “We can’t have that happen,” LaFleur told reporters. “I don’t think that was J.K.’s best punt by any stretch. I know and he knows we have to be more consistent in that regard. And just, the coverage, we just can’t have that happen.”

LaFleur added, “We’ve just got to get better. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right people in there to go down and make a play because that can’t happen and you’re right, that can get you beat.”

The return game has also struggled. The Packers were on pace for a record poor punt return mark last season before the signing of Tyler Ervin for the final four games. In fact, the Packers had negative punt return yardage over the first 12 games in 2019.

This year, Ervin has struggled with injuries and is now on the IR. His numbers as a punt returner have been down when he’s been in the lineup. Last season, Ervin averaged 9.6-yards per punt return with Green Bay. This season, he is averaging just 4.0-yards per runback. On kick returns, Ervin averaged 26.7-yards per runback in 2019, this season, he’s averaged only 19.6.

When Ervin has been out of the lineup, the Packers have not had any alternatives that have struck fear in the hearts of opposing teams. Malik Taylor has averaged just 17.7-yards per kick return while the since departed Darrius Shepherd averaged 20.6-yards per return and had issues holding on to the football.

On punt returns, Shepherd averaged just 6.0-yards per runback while Josh Jackson has averaged just 6.5.

The overall numbers aren’t pretty. The Packers as a team are averaging 4.9-yards per punt return while their opponents are averaging 19.4-yards per runback. Meanwhile, on kick returns, Green Bay is averaging 18.8-yards per return while opponents are averaging 22.6.

The Packers will now turn to the recently signed Tavon Austin who is expected to make his Packers debut on Sunday against the Lions. Austin has played seven years in the NFL with the Rams and Cowboys and is considered a dangerous punt returner.

Austin ran back one punt return for a touchdown in each of his first three NFL seasons including a 98-yard jaunt in his rookie season against the Colts.

Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga spoke about Austin in his press conference with reporters last week. “He’s an established returner that’s created big plays and had a lot of big things happen,” Mennenga said. “He’s definitely dangerous with the ball in his hands.”

Austin at least provides the Packers with hope that the return game can be revitalized until Ervin is healthy again or perhaps beyond that if Austin proves himself an upgrade at the position.

Mennenga perhaps said it best when he added, “It’s frustrating when you put the time and the effort in like we do. You always want good results. We want to help the team win and when you don’t do those things, it’s very frustrating.”

The Packers have four games left to get things straightened out before the playoffs begin. A big play on special teams either way could make the difference between an early playoff exit or a trip to the Super Bowl.