Many people who were surprised former journeyman punter Michael Palardy earned a roster spot over veteran Andy Lee as the Carolina Panthers’ season began.
After the first two games, though, those people have disappeared.
Palardy is sixth in the NFL in net punting with an average of 43.7 yards per game, with a 58-yard long. Opposing returners have only accumulated 11 yards against his punts.
He has quietly become a field-flipping weapon for the Panthers, at a position in which the value is often overlooked.
But in tight games, like Carolina’s 9-3 victory against the Buffalo Bills last week, every inch of turf a punter can take away from an opposing offense matters – and the talents of a directional punter become ever more valuable.