The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have come up short against the Chicago Bears
, but another encouraging performance came from a unit that has quietly become one of the team's biggest strengths. Danny Smith's special teams group continues to show why his arrival was such an important coaching addition, and Miles Killebrew provided another example of the difference he is making with a blocked punt against Chicago.Killebrew got through the Bears' protection in the third quarter and got a hand on Tory Taylor's punt, limiting it to just 24 yards. Instead of Chicago flipping the field and forcing Tampa Bay to work its way down the field, the Buccaneers took possession around midfield in Bears territory. It was the kind of play that can completely change
field position and give an offense a much shorter path to scoring. Although Tampa Bay couldn't fully capitalize on every opportunity Sunday night, the blocked punt reminded everyone how important special teams can be in close games. The Bucs were already fighting back from a 14-0 deficit, and Killebrew's play gave them another chance to build momentum. It was not simply a routine special teams contribution; it was an individual effort that directly changed the next offensive possession.
Tampa Bay brought Killebrew in for exactly this type of impact. Before joining the Buccaneers, he spent time with Detroit and Pittsburgh, recording 91 career special teams tackles. According to the team's announcement when he signed, that total ranked second in the NFL since he entered the league in 2016. He has built his career around making these kinds of plays, and Smith now brings the experience to set the standard for the rest of the unit. Smith's arrival has also given Tampa Bay a different level of experience and attention to detail on special teams. The longtime coordinator spent 29 seasons as an NFL special teams coordinator before joining the Buccaneers. His influence is becoming increasingly visible through the unit's ability to create momentum, win field position, and produce plays that can change a game. The blocked punt against Chicago was not an isolated moment. Tampa Bay has also benefited from strong kicking performances from Chase McLaughlin and consistent work from punter Riley Dixon. McLaughlin remains perfect on field goal attempts this season, while Dixon averaged 48.8 yards per punt against the Bears. The Buccaneers have plenty of problems to address after falling to 3-6, but special teams should not be overlooked as one of the team's biggest improvements.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Danny Smith's transformed special teams makes another big play
