Devin Hester

After Lance Briggs wrapped up Matthew Stafford during an incompletion, Devin Hester brought back the punt 30 yards to the Chicago 48, foreshadowing his next punt return. After an 82 yard run up the sidelines off what seemed like the Lions’ ninth punt of the game,

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 37, Lions 13"

;s front four battered the hapless Donovan McNabb while Cutler and the offense played keep-away and Devin Hester continued to lay claim to his “Greatest Return Man of All Time” status.

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The Chicago Bears got help in the form of Devin Hester and D.J. Moore touchdowns to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-29 Sunday afternoon.

 (2-2) Chicago Bears 34
(1-3) Carolina Panthers 29

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kick-off from the 35) means that the Bears may not have their typical starting position advantage. Devin Hester made his triumphant return to the endzone as a returner last season, thanks to lessened responsibilities and plays on offense. In 2011, look for Hester to get the bulk of kick-off and punt return duty, with near carte-blanche as to how and when he returns them. As for the kicking game, former Jaguar Adam Podlesh takes over for punter Brad Maynard. I haven’t seen enough of Podlesh yet to judge his quality, but Maynard was slipping in recent years, so I don’t forsee a considerable drop-off.  Robbie Gould is back at kicker, but with Podlesh as his new holder we might see a few more misses than we’re accustomed to from Robbie.

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(Which he had in Greg Olsen, but whatever.) Devin Hester has assumed his role as a specialized weapon, getting in the game with certain packages and in key situations, as to not tire him out for pick and punt returns. Johnny Knox needs to improve his route-running and his focus, but he’ll play with an angry intensity after being benched for Williams. Earl Bennett is the Bears’ most reliable receiver, going over the middle and catching everything Cutler throws his way. He’s still Jay’s go-to-guy. Dane Sanzenbacher made the 53-man roster, but don’t expect too much from him. He might find his way into the field if the Bears ever go five-wide, serving as a mini-Wes Welker out of the slot. Sam Hurd, another former Cowboy, signed because of his skill on special teams, but he’s a dependable enough threat on the outside to get some action.

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The Bears now have five legitimate wide receivers. Devin Hester may not be a number one, but in this offense he’ll make his fair share of big plays. Johnny Knox might work harder than anyone, especially now that he’s been demoted. Earl Bennett is Mr. Reliable, going over the middle and catching everything in sight. Roy’s the most experienced of the group and has the size to make a difference. And I’m pleasantly surprised by what I’ve seen from Dane Sanzenbacher. In the Martz scheme, he could serve as a great slot receiver.Other thoughts of note:

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Throws to Johnny Knox (40, 26 yards) and Devin Hester (25 yards) erased a seven point halftime lead for the Jets and put Chicago in a position to hold onto the lead, which they barely did. Still, the Bears have found a way to win some of their biggest games of the year thus far, even if they haven’t won them convincingly.

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On a record-setting night for Devin Hester, the Chicago Bears put the clamps on the Minnesota Vikings to take the NFC North crown. Oh how sweet it was…(10-4) Chicago Bears 40
(5-9) Minnesota Vikings 14

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After Green bay lost last night to the Patriots, the Chicago Bears are poised to claim the NFC North championship and clinch a playoff berth. All they need to do is travel to Minnesota’s froze TCF Bank stadium and beat the now-Favre-led Minnesota Vikings, who are an indoor team playing in the cold. Time to break it down!

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A 61-yard Devin Hester return led to a 30 yard Matt Forte run to the goal line, where Chester Taylor took a hand-off for his third rushing score of the year. Late in the game the Bears got some garbage yardage, but it didn’t mean anything by then. The damage had been done. Besides the decent play of Brian Urlacher, that was it.

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Solid field position from Devin Hester returns (or opponents kicking away from him) put the offense in charge on each drive. I'd like to see less field goals and more touchdowns, but I'll take a win like this any day.

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*Please let Brett Favre retire and Brad Childress be fired today*

The real star of the game was Devin Hester. Hester's 147 yards on kick and punt returns gave this team a much-needed spark. Maybe now Lovie will keep him as a kick AND punt returner. His touchdown showcased his ability as a receiver in the right situations. I'll give a bit of credit to Mike Martz as well, who showed a lot of guts on calls today. After having a Greg Olsen touchdown called back because of an Olin Kreutz penalty, Martz went right back to Olsen on the next play which ended up in the endzone. Ballsy.

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Cutler made poor decisions, Devin Hester and Johnny Knox quit on pass routes and Matt Forte continued his fumbling problem. DeAngelo Hall was the beneficiary of Cutler's errant throws, racking up all four interceptions. Johnny Knox has a case of the drops after a decent start, killing Bear drives.

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Cutler obviously likes him and it showed on Sunday. Devin Hester's lake 89-yard punt return gave the Bears a tiny dose of hope, but that was derailed by a horrible onside kick to seal it late.

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of an ugly first half, the Bears drove back down the field to the goal line after a good return by Devin Hester, where Jay Cutler dropped it into Greg Olsen for their first score of the game.

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Along with Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu, Knox is an actual wide-out, unlike Devin Hester and Rashied Davis, who are converted defensive backs. Everyone is looking at Aromashodu for a break-out year, but that might be wishful thinking. As much as I like his size, D.A. might not be ready to become a true number one receiver this year, if ever. Knox, Hester and Davis are great fits for Martz's system, which spreads the ball around. One of them will likely break the 1,000 yard plateau, which would be Knox if I were a betting man. I just don't have faith in Hester to take that next step forward. He's a number two at best. While I'm not as negative about this group as I was last year, it's unsettling that Angelo didn't made any changes. Hopefully this offense makes them look as good as the coaching staff is telling us they are.

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Johnny Knox is doubtful with his ankle injury from last week, but Devin Hester will return to the field in his absence. Devin Aromashodu is going to see plenty of balls his way in the season fi

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Aromashodu's 8 catches for 76 yards and one impressive endzone grab came only because Devin Hester was on the sidelines. As the only big wide-out on the roster, Lovie Smith must be able to see the match-up problems he can cause. He may not be Randy Moss, but with Cutler he won't have to be.

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Still, the Bears went downfield early, attacking a porous St. Louis secondary. Devin Hester made his best catch of the season and Earl Bennett caught his first career touchdown.

Despite the win, the Bears only beat the Rams by eight measly points. They failed to score in the second or fourth quarters and simply held off a completely inept offense. If Marc Bulger had been under center for the Rams, the outcome would have been significantly different. That's something to remember. Kyle Boller was awful and couldn't help out running back Steven Jackson one bit. I can't say much about the defense. They sacked Boller three times and held him to under 100 yards passing. Jamar Williams was the stand-out of the day, racking up 18 tackles in place of Lance Briggs.

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Second most exciting? Seeing Devin Hester's backside in the fourth quarter. Classic accidental network nudity. Otherwise, it was a forgetful outing for my Bears. Unfortunately, someone is getting too much of the blame.

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They haven't earned it. Devin Hester and Greg Olsen must continue to be reliable pass-catchers and move the chains consistently for Chicago to have a shot.

On defense, Chicago will not be looking at Brian Westbrook catching passes out of the backfield, as he will sit out with another concussion. Unfortunately, that still leaves LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek as targets for Donovan McNabb throws. Pressure on McNabb will be paramount or all of those weapons will have time to get open downfield for big plays like they have all season. With safety Kevin Payne doubtful with an injured back, Chicago's secondary will have its hands full.

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Five interceptions would make you think otherwise, but only two were his fault. Devin Hester mess-ups (a slip and not running around the referee) caused two and a missed pass interference call led to another. Still, Jay’s two other picks came in the red zone, where this team can least afford them. Their red zone offense needs A LOT of work. Jay’s decision making needs to get better. 

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t.  

There were some positives to salvage out of today’s loss, but they were few. Devin Hester is really starting to come into his own as a wide receiver and will be a great complement to any incoming veteran or established number one down the road. Greg Olsen had his best game of the season, with three grabs in the end zone. Earl Bennett continues to impress me with his acrobatic catches in the midst of traffic. Despite this season’s less than memorable start, some playmakers can be found on the roster, answering one of the questions going into this season. 

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Speaking of which, Devin Hester was one of the lone bright spots against the Bengals, showing true wide receiver ability.

Forte may not be 100%, but he’s still a talented back. The real issue is an offensive line that can’t protect against pressure or open any holes on the ground. Peyton Manning would look mediocre behind this offensive line. He, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, and even Kyle Orton are behind fantastic offensive lines that give them plenty of time to find open receivers.  

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But nobody wins a single game on paper.  

Receivers Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox need to establish themselves as dangerous downfield threats so they can take coverage away from Greg Olsen and free up Matt Forte and the running game. Without pass-rusher Antwan Odom, who was lost for the season with an Achilles tear, the Bengals are going to struggle to get to the quarterback. If Jay Cutler gets enough protection from his O-line, he can put up points in a hurry.

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r touchdown, giving him scores in three straight games.  

Earl Bennett, Johnny Knox and Devin Hester are becoming a solid trio of receivers and more reliable than I would have anticipated. Hester is especially improving thanks to Knox’s contributions on special teams. Desmond Clark had a couple big grabs even if he couldn’t pull in the final throw from Cutler. 

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ss the game with his injured ribs, and DT Israel Idonije is questionable as well with a knee issue. Devin Hester and Johnny Knox were not even listed on the injury report, so expect to see Chicago’s two burners on the outside for Jay Cutler. 

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Some of his decisions are plain idiotic, like the screen pass to Devin Hester at the goal line. When you’re four yards away from the endzone, why pass it backwards? The defense only has so much field to cover, it’s not going to take them long to reach the receiver. It also doesn’t help that Hester also injured his shoulder on that play. Turner needs to get this offense right, because with Cutler at the helm there are no more excuses. 

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The offense was back in rhythm after struggling in the opening quarters. Devin Hester’s game-winning touchdown proved why he should be a wide receiver. He can make one person miss (in this case it was two) and take it to the house. Johnny Knox’s increased role on offense and special teams should take some pressure of Hester’s back as well.

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an anomaly of playing the Rams and 49ers, neither of whom pass the ball effectively downfield.) If Devin Hester and Johnny Knox see the field at receiver together, there should be plenty of space to run, but also plenty of cushion on the outside. Seattle’s DB’s will have to respect their speed and Cutler’s arm. Greg Olsen and Kellen Davis will have all the space they need to make catches over the middle. Olsen’s size and speed should give Seattle’s secondary fits.

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Earl Bennett sure impressed me with his team-high seven receptions, and Devin Hester scored on a play that a number one wide receiver should make. Forte will touch the ball earlier and more often in subsequent games, as Ron Turner should be eased off his recent “pass-happy” nature. Chicago outgained the Pack 352 to 226 and held them to only 76 yards rushing. Feel good about that.

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Here’s what my WR depth chart would look like, before the cuts:

Devin Hester
Earl Bennett (Honestly, he shouldn’t be this high, but he’s locked in anyway.)
Devin Aromashodu

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to keep your eye on during Sunday night’s mega-hyped contest:

Wide Receiver:

So I guess Devin Hester is our number one receiver by default. The real question is: who is number two? For that matter, who are three and four? Earl Bennett has shown glimpses, but he hasn’t locked in that spot as far as I’m concerned. Rashied Davis is the only receiver besides Hester to have caught a regular season pass, but he’s buried on the depth chart. Rookies Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox have barely seen action with the first team, so how high can our expectations be? Devin Aromashodu made a great catch last week, but doesn’t have the complete body of work. Brandon Rideau has the size, but hasn’t produced. Look for someone to step and cement their status on the starting squad.

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t one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.

It wasn’t all perfect for the offense though. Devin Hester completely misread what would have been a 91-yard touchdown snag and slowed down after blowing by a defender, under-running a Cutler bomb. Obviously, he needs some work. (Like we all knew anyway.)

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Cutler did his best to get developing receiver Devin Hester the ball on numerous occasions, as the two still need to feel each other out. This led to a few off throws and even an interception deep down the field on an underthrown pass to Hester.

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Their only remaining receivers are the confused Devin Hester, the unsure-handed Rashied Davis, and the unproven Earl Bennett. That receiver corps doesn’t exactly help Cutler out. In fact, it will probably hinder his growth a great deal if Angelo doesn’t bring in another immediate threat. His second round selection will almost surely be a wide receiver, perhaps Brian Robiskie or Hakeem Nicks if either are still on the board, or probably Georgia’s Mohamed Massaquoi. It’s not a guarantee he’ll draft another wide-out, but it’s a fairly safe bet. No wide receiver taken in the second round will likely be a game-changer off the bat, but it’d be nice to see a contribution on the field this year. (*cough*Earl Bennett*cough*)

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Wide Receiver: Devin Hester is still the Bears’ number one wide-out. They also cut Marty Booker and let Brandon Lloyd go. Help. Unfortunately, it’s a less than stellar crop of talent this year. Trading for Arizona’s Anquan Boldin is a more costly option, but could be the most effective after our first name on the list.

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s for a touchdown, proving that he is extraordinarily effective as a replacement for the struggling Devin Hester. Manning has made huge plays in the past two contests, setting the table for his teammates by giving them early points on the board. Kyle Orton had another rough night, throwing two interceptions and fumbling the ball away once. In all fairness however, one of those picks bounced off of Rashied Davis’ hands into the waiting hands of a Saint defender and the fumble was really the fault of center Olin Kreutz, who snapped the ball early as the Bears were backed up at their own goal line, so I can’t place all three turnovers on Orton’s shoulders. Still, Orton has thrown six interceptions in three games after throwing only four in his first ten outings. His ankle injury may be troubling more than he lets on, but he still found a way to lead his team on late scoring drives that set up the win. Greg Olsen made plenty of key grabs, catching eight of Orton’s 24 completions. Matt Forte left the field after his very first carry with a toe injury, but returned to score a touchdown in the second quarter. Chicago only rushed for 55 yards total, choosing to abandon the run as the game progressed.

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Watch for Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark to exploit a weak line-backing corps while Devin Hester abuses the secondary on deep routes. As Marty Booker is listed as doubtful with injured ribs, it seems Brandon Lloyd has a shot to make it out of Lovie’s doghouse. Don’t ask me why our once number once wide-out has lost favor with the coaching staff, because I couldn’t fathom a reason. Lloyd missed a long stretch of time with a knee injury, but that’s no reason to leave him buried on the bench. Hester can’t be the only threat at the position, and Rashied Davis is not sure-handed enough to be a dependable receiver. With such an average list of talent, any legitimate option must be explored to the fullest degree, and Lloyd is that option. Unfortunately, I’m confident he isn’t a factor in Chicago’s future plans, which is normal for incoming veterans wide-outs. It’s just the latest in a long list of confusing personnel decisions by Lovie Smith.  

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The score was 20-3 at halftime so it was all but over for the offensively-challenged Jaguars. Devin Hester had another sound performance at wide receiver, pulling in a 31 yard reception, as well as a punt return for 22 yards to the Jacksonville 22 that set up one of the first half field goals. Conversely, he also fumbled twice on punt returns, which is unacceptable whether he recovered them or not. Kyle Orton threw an interception early in the third quarter, but the Jags couldn’t capitalize, keeping the victory intact. Matt Forte only rushed for 69 yards on 21 carries, but he also caught five passes for 37 yards as he passed Gale Sayers for most scrimmage yards by a rookie in Bears history. So even on a quiet day, Forte made a loud statement. Still, even amidst a solid outing, the Bears had their troubles. They only converted on 5 of 15 third downs, a growing concern for Ron Turner and the offensive staff. The second half was an offensive dry spell, as the Bears had one interception, one field goal, and four punts. They won’t defeat playoff opponents if they can’t keep drives alive late in games.  

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Sunday night’s battle for first place completely reversed direction over the course of five consecutive plays. The Chicago Bears, up 7-3, had first-and-goal inside the five-yard line of the Vikings and looked ready to take a 14-3 lead in what could be a defining game of their season. Following an incompletion over the middle to Greg Olsen, a Matt Forte run off left tackle, a Jason Davis run up the middle, and a Forte run up the middle, the Bears turned the ball over on downs. On the very next play, Gus Frerotte found ex-Bear Bernard Berrian on the sideline behind broken Charles Tillman coverage for a 99-yard touchdown pass. Minnesota went up 10-7 and proceeded to humiliate the “Mediocre of the Midway” for the rest of the night. 

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Garrett Wolfe even found carries during garbage time in the fourth quarter. Heck, even Devin Hester and Rashied Davis ran the ball off of reverses. With everyone getting in on the ground, it was a shock to never see running back Kevin Jones on the field. Jones has apparently not impressed his coaches enough to get playing time over the forgotten Peterson or the small, shifty Wolfe. It’s a safe bet to think that Jones won’t be in Chicago after this season.  

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As far as I know, the Chicago Bears were supposed to play a game on Sunday. They were supposed to travel to Lambeau Field for a key contest that will surely factor in when determining the NFC North champion. Apparently, Lovie Smith’s team decided to take the day off. There is no other reason for only putting three points on a suspect Packer defense while giving up an astounding 200 rushing yards to a team that had an at-best average ground game. The Bears didn’t show up to play and the Packers took advantage.  

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long with receiver Marty Booker are listed as probable, as they were limited in mid-week practices. Devin Hester also left that game with a quad injury, but appears to be fine, as he doesn’t even appear on the injury report. Tommie Harris was the only active Bear to sit out of Wednesday’s proceedings, which is aggravatingly status quo for this season. I know players are going to get hurt and play hurt during a season, but Harris has been playing hurt for his entire career it seems. It significantly detracts from his on-field production, as has been the case in 2008. He’s also listed as probable for Sunday, but obviously won’t be at 100%. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer is recovering from the thumb surgery he had after the Minnesota game and is questionable, with back-up Nick Roach prepared to fill-in. Wide-out Brandon Lloyd and corner Danieal Manning join Hillenmeyer as questionable, as each will most likely be a game-time decision. 

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Rashied Davis and Devin Hester stepped up big time in the absence of Brandon Lloyd. Making his first real start at wide receiver, Hester took advantage of the opportunity to stay out on the field for five catches for sixty-six yards and a touchdown. We all knew about his talent, but Sunday Hester showed us the reason the coaching staff has so much confidence in his ability to be a number one wide-out. Tight end Greg Olsen broke free of coverage for 52 yards on the first play on the Bears’ second drive of the game, the first one of many downfield plays by Kyle Orton.

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Marty Booker went to the middle of the end zone early in the second to put the Bears back on top. Devin Hester made up for his drop early in the game by catching Orton’s pass on the sideline route, beating the Eagles’ best corner in Asante Samuel for touchdown number three. The offense put up 21 points in the first half, when they normally couldn’t reach that total for an entire game. Even more shocking was the execution of the screen pass, which was ran three times and always went for positive yardage.

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There’s some interesting news in the injury and roster departments for Chicago this week. Devin Hester practiced yesterday, seemingly on the mend from his mysterious “rib” problem. It remains to be seen whether or not the return man of the century will be on the field for Sunday’s outing.  Also, the Bears cut Mark Bradley from the team to make room as they claimed CB Marcus Hamilton from the Bucs off waivers. Hamilton made a few plays last Sunday to force Bear punts, so it’s not a bad acquisition. I say one can never have too many good cornerbacks. The real oddity is cutting Mark Bradley, a former second round pick. He only appeared in two games this season, mostly on special teams. This is just another high round offensive pick by GM Jerry Angelo that is a flat-out bust for this team. Too many flops in the draft can kill a team and this front office seems to be on its last legs.

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I’m taking the under.

Devin Hester’s mysterious rib injury could very well decide this game. If he doesn’t play, the Bears lose their one downfield playmaker. If he plays but isn’t fully healed, he might be ineffective and not much more than a decoy, as well as risking further injury. If Devin is going to contribute in a significant way on Sunday, he needs to be completely healthy. Otherwise the Bears should just sit him for the week and prep him for the next game.

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t your wide receiver will make the first tackler miss and then break it for at least a 6 yard gain. Devin Hester is the only possible receiver on the Bears squad that could make that kind of play, and he left the game with injured ribs in the second half. Rashied Davis does not have that kind of speed or the hands to trust. Marty Booker does not have the moves to shake younger and faster DB’s anymore. Mark Bradley would have to play every once in a while so he can show us he can’t do it either. So why would Ron Turner call that type of play for anyone besides

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Even special teams managed to excite some fans, though Devin Hester did not return many kicks at all. Danieal Manning may have proved he's not completly worthless by running back two kick returns for over 70 yards. Hopefully he'll see the field a a return man and not on my defense. If he provides any sort of spark,

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Mark Bradley Brandon Lloyd, Marty Booker, and the ultra fun to watch Devin Hester. Hester is very talented, but he is still learning the wide out position. He will as always been a huge threat on special teams. As I warn every team before the season begins and several times during the season, DON”T KICK IT TO DEVIN HESTER!!! The tight end position is headlined by Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen. Clark is a long time Bears tight end and will most likely get the ball, but Olsen is looking better and better each game and I believe he will play a big part in the Bear’s offense this year.

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Lance Briggs, Alex Brown, Tommie Harris, Brian Urlacher, and Devin Hester were all looking for new contracts or extensions. 

Lance Briggs was allowed to test free agency, but the linebacker signed with the Bears after no team stepped up. Thought to be bitter after losing his starting job, defensive end Alex Brown signed a new deal. Tommie Harris received a well-deserved contract extension that keeps him in Chicago until 2012. After voicing displeasure with the front office, Brian Urlacher showed up to team activities and got paid all sorts of new money.

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ESPN columnist KC Joyner took a statistical look at the route-running efficiency of Hester a few days ago, compiling a table that breaks down his experience as a receiver and basically reinforcing how I feel about Chicago’s new #23. Unfortunately, in order to view said table, one must be privy to the world of the ESPN Insider ( http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=joy). If you aren’t, it highlights three things: (a) Hester is at his best running on the go and double-move go routes, catching Griese’s 81-yard bomb at the end of the Minnesota game and Orton’s 55-yarder in the final game. Obviously, this is where he’s his most explosive -- burning defensive backs and hauling in the long ball. He is the heir apparent to Berrian in this capacity and the Bears seem confident enough in this ability to pencil him at #2 on the depth chart for now. However, as Joyner also points out, (b) Hester is suffering from a low YPC on quick hitches and screens. He’s caught eight balls using these two routes but managed a paltry 27 yards total -- only 3.4 yards per catch. Hester needs to learn how to create some space between him and defenders, like Steve Smith (or perhaps Steve Smith of 2005). Working on separation tactics will boost his potential for short yardage situations. And obviously, (c) the kid just lacks overall experience. It should be interesting to see how he adjusts to his new role come September. I still think it’s too early to put him at #2, but it seems the Bears (for better or worse) have their minds set on this.

Continue reading "The Devin Hester Experience"

The Bears gave Brandon Lloyd a one-year contract last week, reeling in a cast-off from the Redskins who’s been plagued by injuries and questionable locker room chemistry the past two seasons. Lloyd’s production will be a complete gamble, but there are some good reasons to like this deal. First off, he’s coming incredibly cheap, dime-store, like we just snatched him up off the shelf at that seedy bodega down the street. There’s basically nothing to lose, am I wrong? Anybody is an upgrade at this point. I remember a time when Lloyd impressed me mildly – two 40+ catch seasons in San Fran, great hands, good burst off the line, strong vertical leap, mediocre blocking, a propensity for SportsCenter Top-10 one-handed catches. When I read about him being traded to Washington, I pictured him working the middle of the field, Santana Moss putting some double-moves on the outside and burning the safety with an inside post pattern, Antwaan Randle El drawing up in a hitch – the near-mechanized cogs of Al Saunders’ vaunted offense in perfect syncronization. Well, we all know how that turned out (Did he really think every one of those players could digest a 700-page playbook? Didn’t he check their Wonderlic scores?).

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