How did Townsend make the team?

The Chiefs were 3rd in the league with fewest punts. Typically, All-Pro punters come from crappy teams that punt frequently.

Because the only guy with a stronger argument and really high volume would've probably been Ryan Stonehouse.

And hey, I wouldn't have complained loudly if he got it. Dude averaged 53 yards/punt over ninety punts. So yeah, that kid has a friggen cannon of a leg. And a 44 yard net is nice as well.

But he only put 32 inside the 20 (about 1/3 of his punts) vs. 24 of 53 for Townsend. He also had 9 TBs and only generated 11 fair catches (Townsend got 16 on far fewer punts). So part of that distance came from simply drilling them flat and that's why his net was about a yard worse than Townsends. For all the distance he got, his hangtime was ass. He's kindof a one trick pony.

So when you have Townsend, who had a longer longest punt than Stonehouse had AND showed far better touch and accuracy with his kicking, you simply have a more versatile punter.