-
Originally Posted by
dabears54 
Disagree strongly motown, hester IS a WR, maybe not a #1, but he is a legit WR and not just a KR/
PR And sure enough one shows up. Wheres the beer you owe me?
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
-
Originally Posted by
The Benjamin Thank you Senior Spanish
You're welcome.
-
Originally Posted by
motownbear we should find more chances to give Earl Bennet some trick plays lmfao
We can use Hester as a decoy to allow Bennet more chances of gaining 2 yards on 3rd and long.
-
High Fives / Like - 2 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
Wait...is it 2008 again? Sweet, i need to make a couple changes this time around.
-
Originally Posted by
4th and 26 We can use Hester as a decoy to allow Bennet more chances of gaining 2 yards on 3rd and long.
Or run a wide receiver reverse like we did in the NFC Championship Game. You and I both know how that worked to perfection!
-
think seifert nailed what loviw was talking out.. less snaps BUT more targetting when he des take snaps for hester:
Rationing Devin Hester's workload
March, 31, 2011 Mar 31
3:00
PM ET
By Kevin Seifert
I was among the reporters who sat with Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith earlier this month at the NFL owners meeting. During my drop-in, the conversation centered on the Bears' offensive line and receivers. More than anything, I walked away surprised that after four years, the Bears are still searching for how to maximize and ration Devin Hester's playing time.
As you know, Hester resurrected himself as the most feared return man in the game last season after two quiet years devoted mostly to playing receiver. On the flip side, his per-game average for receptions dropped from 4.3 in 2009 to 2.5. His yardage average dropped almost 30 yards per game, from 58 to 29.
[+] Enlarge
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Bears still aren't sure how they want to divide Devin Hester between his wide receiver and special-teams duties.
That dip in production came even as Hester played on 66 percent of the Bears' snaps, the second-highest total among the team's receivers, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Unofficially, the Bears targeted Hester on only 68 of the 646 total plays he was on the field for.
That's the pivot point Smith said he hopes to address this offseason. He didn't put it in so many words, but if I had to read the tea leaves, it would go something like this: More targets, less plays.
"I would like to see us find a way to get him the ball more maybe in certain situations," Smith said. "That's probably what we're looking at more than just reps, more what we're doing with him on his reps out there. So to take away some of his reps and get him involved in the ones where he's out there, probably that more than anything."
Hopefully for Hester and the Bears, that shift will be the final stroke of the yo-yo that has defined his past few seasons. I, for one, would have no problem with Hester seeing fewer offensive snaps in 2011. Rare is the player who can maintain elite status in one aspect of the game while playing full-time in another. Prioritizing the return game makes all the sense in the world for him, especially if the Bears can follow through on Smith's hope to acquire a big receiver to complement the current group. Using Hester as a full-time returner and part-time receiver has always seemed the most prudent road to me.
At the beginning of this experiment, the Bears acknowledged no correlation between Hester's playing time on offense and his success as a returner. I asked Smith if he now believes there is one.
"You can always make an argument for that," he said. "I just don't know."
Ultimately, Smith said, "Devin really helped us a lot offensively" last season, even if it came through field position and/or touchdowns gained from his returns.
"Whether it's special teams, whether it's offense, that shouldn't be a major part of the discussion," Smith added.
I'm in total agreement. Let's hope we're not having the same discussion next season.
Related: Corporate cousin Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com suggests it's time for Hester to earn his keep as a No. 1 receiver.
-
I would personally love to see Devin Hester line up in the slot position and run that. He could be valuable as hell doing that. He is not a number one wide receiver by any stretch of the imagination, but he is more than capable of being productive on offense. He has progressed over the years in his route running, so it is just a matter of finding the right balance. Some wide receiver screens would work, like what we saw last season against I think the Philadelphia Eagles. We must, however, take great pains in not wearing him out so much as to diminish his production returning kicks, for example.
-
DB let me put it this way
-In one thread Olsen is going to make a jump
-In another thread Knox is going to make that jump also
-In another thread Bennett is going to make that jump showing strides and all the stuff
-In another thread we should sign a FA WR
that is four targets right there other then Hester. Which of those guys are you sitting for Hester? Or are all 5 players going to contribute? Or is this just being positive to be positive? Just look at it that way Im sitting Hester over any of those guys sorry dude
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
Originally Posted by
motownbear DB let me put it this way
-In one thread Olsen is going to make a jump
-In another thread Knox is going to make that jump also
-In another thread Bennett is going to make that jump showing strides and all the stuff
-In another thread we should sign a FA WR
that is four targets right there other then Hester. Which of those guys are you sitting for Hester? Or are all 5 players going to contribute? Or is this just being positive to be positive? Just look at it that way Im sitting Hester over any of those guys sorry dude
I think you would have to, but if we do not do an adequate enough job addressing the WR issue this offseason, like say drafting Greg Little in either the second or third round, or signing a Malcolm Floyd or Sidney Rice who each have height and size to their advantages, then you have to open up the playbook and allow for more balance and, preferably, more plays to Hester from the slot or something like that. Sadly, the tallest guy we have is only about 5'11", so none of our receivers are going to be able to come down with jump balls or anything that.
-
Originally Posted by
motownbear DB let me put it this way
-In one thread Olsen is going to make a jump
-In another thread Knox is going to make that jump also
-In another thread Bennett is going to make that jump showing strides and all the stuff
-In another thread we should sign a FA WR
that is four targets right there other then Hester. Which of those guys are you sitting for Hester? Or are all 5 players going to contribute? Or is this just being positive to be positive? Just look at it that way Im sitting Hester over any of those guys sorry dude
motown think you are missing what is being said.. all 5 can happen
With hester he was targeted 68 times in 634 snaps( or barely 10% of time). let's say cut hester snaps to 400, to give bennet more time and target olsen more( that's 200+ snaps right there to divide).. BUT when hester plays target him 20% of time.. which would be 80 balls on only 400 snaps( be it in slot, or outside), so he is being used better on field and getting more rest for ST and as you said getting more for others
has NOTHING to do with the played out "positive for positive bs", that really tired of, and just being logical on what is being said.Its ok to not have to bash everything hester as a WR... seriously.. the #1 stuff is gone , let it go.. IF used properly hester has shown and proven IMo he can be a legi wespon and contributor, the question is just being more efficient with that use, IE less snaps but more targeting when in ( and let's jut say 10% to 20% as used above)
Last edited by dabears54; 04-01-2011 at 10:22 AM.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
4th and 26 say BEAR DOWN!
Reply With Quote
