Few plays in football swing momentum like a big punt return. Unfortunately for Carolina Panthers fans like me, this season’s punt return results have been among some of the worst in modern NFL history.

When the home team scores on a punt return touchdown the crowd goes crazy. It’s electric to watch. Punt return touchdowns are among the longest plays in football as the return man weaves through the initial “gunners”, finds a seam, and turns on the afterburners in the open field. The crowd can see the big return unfolding on the field then goes nuts when it does. Exuberant grown men in the stands share hugs and slap drunken, awkward high fives with complete strangers. An NFL crowd’s reaction to a punt return touchdown is the male equivalent of Oprah’s “YOU’RE ALL GETTIN’ A CAR!!!!” audience response.

If the road team takes a punt to the house the energy in the stands deflates faster than the Metrodome’s roof in a blizzard.

Panthers fans know this all too well. Carolina has been victimized by two punt return touchdowns this year – one by Arizona’s Patrick Peterson and another by Chicago’s Devin Hester. Peterson’s touchdown return in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winning points for the Cardinals in a 28-21 victory. Hester’s return proved vital in the Bears’ five-point win over the Panthers.

While the Panthers have been victimized by big punt returns this year, Carolina has received almost no benefit from their own punt return game. Armanti Edwards has handled all 30 of Carolina’s punt returns so far this year and has been completely ineffective in generating returns that improve field position for the offense. Through Week 14 the Panthers are 30^th in the league – third worst – in average punt return yardage:

Bottom Five Average Punt Return

28. New York Giants – 7.4 YPR

29. Philadelphia Eagles – 6.3 YPR

30. Carolina Panthers – 5.8 YPR

31. Jacksonville Jaguars – 4.3 YPR

32. Indianapolis Colts – 3.1 YPR

Punt returns for touchdowns are not the only way the return game can swing momentum or put points on the board. Long punt returns immediately set up the offense in scoring position, often guaranteeing at least a field goal. When it comes to long punt returns, the Panthers rank dead last in the league in this category through Week 14:

Bottom Five Longest Punt Returns

28. Dallas Cowboys – 25 yards

29. Miami Dolphins – 22 yards

30. Indianapolis Colts – 21 yards

31. New York Giants – 18 yards

32. Carolina Panthers – 17 yards

Armanti Edwards’ Historically Bad 2011 Campaign

Through Week 14 Armanti Edwards has handled all 30 of Carolina’s punt returns, generating the 5.8 average per return and longest (or shortest?) return of 17 yards. Edwards was drafted by the Panthers in 2010 due in large part for his potential to break big plays with his speed, but this has not happened through Edwards’ first two seasons in the league.

In fact, the opposite is true this year – Armanti Edwards is on pace to having one of the statistically worst seasons as a punt returner in modern NFL history.

Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, a total of 472 punt returners have matched Edwards’ year-to-date total of 30 punt returns. Of those 472 players, only 17 have generated fewer than Armanti Edwards’ current average of 5.8 yards per return (click here for supporting data from Pro-Football-Reference.com).

The stats don’t lie – the Panthers punt return game with Armanti Edwards has not only been bad in 2011, it has been historically bad, and it’s time for Carolina to make a change.

It’s Time to Try Kealoha Pilares

As a Panthers fan my preference would be to give rookie WR/KR Kealoha Pilares a shot at returning punts for the last three games of the season. Pilares has been effective in handling kickoff returns thus far with a 27.1 yard average return on 19 attempts. Among NFL kick returners with at least 19 returns, Pilares has the fifth-best average in the league (supporting data here.)

Pilares has shown flashes of his open field explosiveness with a 101-yard kickoff return touchdown against Detroit and a 76-yard return against Indianapolis the following week. The Panthers need more plays like these in the punt return game. It is time to give punt return duties to somebody other than Armanti Edwards, with the best option being Kealoha Pilares.

While a punt return touchdown may not be quite as valuable to Panthers fans as a free car from Oprah, it might be just as exciting at this point.

Andrew Sweat is a North Carolina resident and loyal Panthers fan. More from this author:

Top Five Crazy-But-True Carolina Panthers Stats Through Week 14

Gamers & Lamers: Week 14 vs. Atlanta

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As a huge Carolina Panthers fan, I have spent most of 2011 trying to find the silver lining. When you lose the vast majority of your games it is sometimes difficult to find something good to say. There are only so many moral victories that a person can stomach. Still, I have managed to feel good about this version of the Carolina Panthers. Cam Newton(notes) has certainly made them more exciting, and the team has been in pretty much every game except one until the end. On Sunday, November 27, they defeated the Indianapolis Colts on the road for a huge victory. Despite the needed victory, the positive signs of growth were more difficult to see than in some losses this year. The Panthers spent the majority of the game trying to give it away.

In the end, the Panthers won and walked away with the confidence boost that comes with winning. Here are the positives that I noted throughout the game:

Brandon LaFell(notes) is developing nicely

LaFell was thought to be a strong candidate to start opposite Steve Smith when the season first started, but the Panthers signed former Charger Legedu Naanee(notes) because he knew the offense well. Naanee has been the starter, but many are questioning why. LaFell has shown he is ready, and this week was another example of that. He did not have huge numbers, but he filled the roles needed. He took the heat off of Smith, and blocked like a tight end. He also caught every single pass that came into his zip code. LaFell is going to be a good one in time.

The turnover margin

The Panthers won the turnover margin thanks to two late interceptions. Granted those interceptions should never have been necessary in the first place, but the Panthers did what they had to do to win. A horrible pass interference play by Captain Munnerlyn(notes) and a terrible missed tackle by Sherrod Martin(notes) on Reggie Wayne(notes) marred an otherwise decent day in the secondary.

Continued special teams improvements

Carolina certainly looked good stopping the Colts all day on special teams and they actually had another good day returning the ball. Kealoha Pilares(notes) once again broke a long one, even though he got punked by the Colt’s kicker. Armanti Edwards(notes) had a huge punt return even though it was returned due to penalty. Still, it is a far cry from the horrible special teams play earlier in the 2011 season.

Cam Newton’s calm day

Newton could have had gaudier stats on this day, and yet he simply glided through and did what was needed to win. On a day when the running game was more than sufficient, he was able to be in total control and kept away from turnovers. Cam Newton scored one rushing touchdown and completed a great percentage of his passes, but the big time fireworks were not really needed. He was okay with that and it led to a win. Sometimes the Panthers have to embrace the run, and this win was a perfect example.

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