Punt protection for Steve SMITH

Does it seem that Steve is getting less protection when he tries to return a kick or punt ?? It looked like the opposing defense was all over him whenever he caught the ball. I do not remember him being that covered last year.

An Old Coot just asking a question....................

 

Watching it on TV... hard to tell.. I did notice he seemed to go backwards every time...

 

Yes, totally agree with that assessment. The Panthers could do a lot better on punt returns. No one is blocking at all and there didn't seem to be a "plan" in place on those returns. I Steve's defense he still almost broke a few of those. However, they better learn to stop getting those damn holding calls or they will lose one of the advantanges they have enjoyed so far (field position).

 

Yes hard to see on TV... I thought on a few of them, he should have gone forward, not backwards with his first step. (No one was in the camera view at the time)

 

Smith made a LOT of bad reads on punt returns vs the Lions... I saw on 3 occassions where if he would have cut left instead of right or vice versa he could have broken at least 20-30 yards

 

Ya think he might be a little worried about messing up his starting WR gig?