What are Special Teams?

As we already know, there is the defense, offense, and now we add in Special Teams? What makes them so “special’?
Honestly, at the end of the day, not much. Special Teams are used during unique plays like kick-offs at the beginning of a quarter, after their team scores, receiving kick-offs, field goals and blocking field goals. Lots of kicking involved here. If there is a kicker on the field, it’s a good bet that this is a Special Team.
These plays can be really exciting if the player who is back to receive the punt is able to get past the defense and run all the way for a touchdown. In the 1983 season Tony Dorsett ran back a touchdown for the longest run from scrimmage in NFL history. I was jumping up and down hollering like a crazy lady on that play!
But, oftentimes punts are caught and the receiver “takes a knee” which means he didn’t see any benefit of running down field. Taking a knee automatically places the ball at the 20 yard line, which is much safer than running down field and risking a fumble or injury.
In the last two seasons a lot of teams started using a “wildcat offense” which means they are in essence tricking the defense by hiking the ball to a player other than the quarterback. This throws the defense into a scramble and, if successful, can lead to big yardage.