Ryan will try to keep Jets off Hester's highlight tape

Ryan will try to keep Jets off Hester's highlight tape
By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 12/22/2010 6:45 PM

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – After his record-breaking performance in Minnesota, Devin Hester was named NFC special teams player of the week for the second time this season and the ninth time in his career.

As Rex Ryan prepares for Sunday’s game at Soldier Field, the New York Jets coach is determined to keep the Bears return specialist from padding that total.

“I think it’s pretty safe to say we’re planning on not kicking to him,” Ryan said Wednesday during a conference call. “I think you can write that down as everybody else I’m sure doesn’t want to kick to him. I don’t think you can deal with him. As a returner, it’s ridiculous. He’s got to go down as the best punt returner in the history of the game.”

In Monday night’s 40-14 division-clinching rout of the Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium, Hester returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown, enabling him to set an all-time NFL record with 14 kick return TDs.

The University of Miami product accomplished the feat on the 286th return of his career, breaking the mark he shared with Brian Mitchell, who had 13 TDs on 1,070 returns.

The touchdown came on the fifth punt of the game by the Vikings’ Chris Kluwe, who had kept his first four punts out of Hester’s hands, including 36-, 25- and 30-yarders that sailed out of bounds.

When informed of Ryan’s intention to kick away from Hester Sunday, Bears special teams standout Rashied Davis said: “Everybody says that. Kluwe didn’t want to kick to him either. He just mis-hit it.”

Hester knows that his opportunities will be limited and that he must remain patient.

“It’s hard to go after a ball if it’s 10 yards out of bounds,” Hester said with a smile. “You just have to wait for the right moment. It’s just like a baseball player that is good at hitting. You just have to wait for the right pitch. You get used to being walked a lot. Just wait for the right pitch and try to take advantage of it.”

Hester leads the NFL in punt returns with a career-high 16.4-yard average and three touchdowns. He also tops the league in kickoff returns with a 35.2-yard average, though he doesn’t have enough returns to qualify.

FULL STORY
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Originally Posted by BU54

The University of Miami product accomplished the feat on the 286th return of his career, breaking the mark he shared with Brian Mitchell, who had 13 TDs on 1,070 returns.

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Ridiculous indeed.

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Originally Posted by Jimmors

Ridiculous indeed.

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That's what Jeff Joniak said about four years ago in the Super Bowl!

By NOT kicking to Hester,most teams wind up losing the field position game;
even with a 3 and out possession,the Bears get the ball back on a short field if the "D" does their job.
Pick your poison,but there is a cost either way,when Hester is on the field.

There is a reason why the Bears are #1 in the NFL in field position :) You might get one 45 yard punt out of bounds you hit perfect, but you will also get some that are 27 yards and others that go in bounds.

What you do on kick offs, is put Hester in back, and Manning middle up. They kick it deep, Hester can take it in, kick it short, Manning has an easy time of it.

Hester is going to make a difference in a lot of the games we play for many, many years to come.

I love how every coach says they're not going to kick to Hester, and then he ends up returning one on them. Watching coaches throw their clipboards at punters after Hester dances past them is my favorite part of Sundays.

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Originally Posted by King Kinetix

I love how every coach says they're not going to kick to Hester, and then he ends up returning one on them. Watching coaches throw their clipboards at punters after Hester dances past them is my favorite part of Sundays.

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Those moments are truly priceless! And, if you have a shitty offense like the Bears do this season, Hester is a great equalizer. We don't have to worry about traveling 70-80 yards every time we get the ball on a kickoff.

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Originally Posted by King Kinetix

I love how every coach says they're not going to kick to Hester, and then he ends up returning one on them. Watching coaches throw their clipboards at punters after Hester dances past them is my favorite part of Sundays.

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I think there are a lot of factors that go into this..maybe at times punters feel that their coverage teams are doing a decent job, so they risk punting it normal. Or perhaps they arent practiced enough in kicking AWAY from a returner, since most of the time they are used to kicking TO a returner, so they subconsciously revert to what they do naturally.