Eagles special teams coordinator Bobby April took the heat today for not instructing kick returner Dion Lewis on exactly how to handle kickoffs booted into the end zone.
Last Sunday, in St. Louis, the rookie returner took two out that were at least five yards deep. He was tackled well before the 20-yard line on each.
“I mean, we talked about it. I just didn’t prepare him enough for it and that one’s on me,” April said.
Lewis admitted that he and the coaching staff weren’t on the same page.
“I just need to know what the coaches expect from me and being on the same page,” Lewis said. “Making those little adjustments, alignment adjustments, to that this weekend and it’ll be much better.”
April said the general rule is anything further than five yards into the end zone is too deep and should be downed.
April also noted that he is comfortable with rookie kicker Alex Henery. The coach feels Henery is capable of connecting on 53- to 54-yard field goals at this point, but it also depends on how well he’s hitting them in pregame warmups. Henery’s career long (in college, at Nebraska) was 57 yards.
