With one critical kickoff return, Clifton Smith was transported from the twilight zone to the highlight zone.
Three weeks after suffering a concussion against Carolina, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl returner earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors Wednesday for his effort in a 38-28 victory against the Packers. Smith's 83-yard kickoff return early in the fourth quarter sparked a comeback from an 11-point deficit and the undrafted free agent also returned four punts for 54 yards.
"It's a great honor to be put up in that category once again,'' said Smith, who also won the award in Week 9 of the 2008 season. "My teammates make my job easy. I just find a hole and hit it. Everybody kept asking me if I was going to be afraid to catch the ball like I used to. I pretty much answered all those questions about playing the game without fear.''
Smith was the catalyst for Tampa Bay's initial win of the season, but he had plenty of help from other special team standouts. LB Geno Hayes blocked a punt into the hands of CB Ronde Barber for a TD and P Dirk Johnson kept Green Bay pinned all afternoon.
Special teams coach Rich Bisaccia's units now lead the league in both kickoff return average (30.0) and lowest opponent kickoff return average (19.0), but those coverage groups will be tested without the presence of S Will Allen, who was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a fractured right thumb.
"It'll be tough without our special teams captain, Captain Willie,'' said Smith. "We have to rally around him now. The next person has to pick up the stick and run with it.''
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