Devin Hester presents major problem for Oakland Raiders

The last time Shane Lechler faced Devin Hester, he punted it deep and dared Hester to do anything about it.

Lechler, four years older and presumably wiser since the last time the Raiders played the Chicago Bears, doesn't expect a reckless approach Sunday against the most prolific return specialist in NFL history.

Not when both teams are legitimate playoff contenders and the Bears come to town with one of the top defenses in the NFL and a new quarterback in Caleb Hanie, who replaces the injured Jay Cutler.

"It's not the same attitude right now," Lechler said. "That guy's too dangerous. With them getting a new quarterback in there, (Hester) is going to be the big-play guy.

"I'm not sure yet what we're going to do, but I'm going to try to at least make him run sideways early, and we'll go from there."

When the Bears came to town on Nov. 11, 2007, there wasn't much at stake. Former coach Lane Kiffin said during the week the Raiders weren't afraid of Hester and would take no special precautions on kickoffs and punts.

By game's end, Hester had a 2.3-yard average on six punt returns and 17 yards on two kick returns. (He had a 64-yard punt return called back on a holding penalty).

It served as a moral victory after the Raiders' 17-6 loss en route to a 4-12 season.

Hester, in his sixth season, leads the NFL with an average punt return of 21.2 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to a 22.9-yard average on kickoff returns and another score. His 17 career touchdowns are an NFL record for kick and punt returns -- and that doesn't include a 108-yard return of a missed field goal attempt in 2008.

Hester also has 22 catches for 320 yards and a touchdown as a wide receiver this season.

"This guy can change games," Raiders coach Hue Jackson said. "I can't tell you exactly what the game plan is, but we're going to have a plan, because this guy is as good as there is in football. There are going to be times when you're going to have to kick it to him, there are going to be times when you're not going to kick it to him."

Raiders linebacker and special teams player Quentin Groves credited Hester's blocking and the Bears punt return unit as a whole. Lechler, who has punted to a number of excellent return men over the years, said Hester sees things develop faster than most return specialists.

"He's got top-notch vision," Lechler said. "He sees cuts way down the field. He sets up blocks very well, probably one of the better guys that sets up blocks across the league."

Hester has been so consistent that the question arises as to why more teams simply don't punt the ball out of bounds. Bears coach Lovie Smith believes that approach sends a bad message.

"It's hard to go into your meetings and tell your punt team that, 'Hey, guys, we don't think you're good enough, so we're going to kick it out bounds because we don't think you can tackle one guy down on the other end," Smith told Bay Area reporters by conference call.

That's certainly the mindset of safety Mike Mitchell, who gave Hester his due as being a premier punt return specialist but wasn't shy about believing Oakland can shut him down.

"We don't have to play him. He has to worry more about 11 guys trying to take his head off than we do about him (taking one to the house)," Mitchell said. "That's going to be our mentality for every returner that we play."

Mitchell got even more colorful a moment later, saying, "We just have to get down field and outrun their protection team and make tackles. After he gets machine-gunned a couple of times, he's not going to be too quick to return punts."

Groves said it will be important for the first players who reach Hester to make a play.

"We have to get guys in his face, because if you see him on film, he makes one or two guys miss and then he's out of the gates," Groves said.

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.


(mercurynews.com)