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rezburna

He’s fast as ****. Let him return kicks. Why not?

jeanpierre

BY JOEL A. ERICKSON | JERICKSON@THEADVOCATE.COM SEP 16, 2018 - 4:25 PM

Taysom Hill had never returned a kick in a football game.

Or a punt, for that matter. Other than a few returns he hauled in during practice in his rookie year with the Saints, Hill had never lined up under a kickoff.

Few quarterbacks ever have, but New Orleans sent Hill back to return kicks against Cleveland on Sunday and the backup quarterback who has become a special teams ace for the Saints did not disappoint.

Hill was only given one chance to bring the ball back out of the end zone, but he made the most of it, ripping off a 47-yard return that was a Cleveland tackler or two from going all the way to the house.

"I hadn't taken any until this week in practice," Hill said. "That was the first time I'd ever done it."

Hill is a core special-teamer who led the Saints with 29 snaps in the kicking game in the season opener, but he did not know he'd be returning kicks until Wednesday's practice.

"Catching wasn't a big deal," Hill said. "Kickoffs are pretty easy if you compare them to punts."

Working under the NFL's new rules for the kickoff, the New Orleans return unit has been ahead of the curve throughout the preseason and the first couple of games, opening big holes.

All the Saints needed was somebody who could take advantage.

"I told the guys, whatever's there, I'm going to hit it hard," Hill said. "A hole opened up, those guys did a great job, Zach Line had a great lead block, and we were close."

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

Crusader

One of the best plays of the game. Great athlete.

QBREES9

That dude is White Lightning!!!! FAST.

K Major

Someone needs to contact Bill Parcells and break it to him that Taysom is better than TommyLee on kick off duty.

Hill is producing on special teams & gave us a spark on that kick return.

ChrisXVI

I’ve never been a believer in Taysom Hill as a QB, but man it puts a big ol’ smile on my face seeing him back there returning kicks. Really great stuff.

vpheughan

.....a Cleveland tackler or two from going all the way to the house.

Isn't that "TRUE" for any kick return?

Sounds like every "HOMER" play by play guy. "You know if he would have caught the ball and broke 6 tackles he would have scored!!"

jeanpierre

I like that he's able to contribute in other roles.

Once he got a little comfortable, he showed some real zip on his throws...

But his athleticism is amazing...

SaintsBro

I love it, until he gets hurt doing it, then I was *always* against it from the very beginning.