Bears' Devin Hester re-emerges as special teams force

The Chicago Bears have found a new source of yardage from an old friend.

Devin Hester has again made their special teams special after what seemed like a two-year absence following scintillating showings in 2006 and 2007, when he reached the end zone 11 times as a returner. Hester and Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant currently lead the league with two punts returned for touchdowns -- Hester's first in three years -- and now Hester is again bringing back kickoffs after he'd largely ceded the job to Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox while focusing on his receiving skills.

Hester's punt returns (*league leader)
• 2006-07: 89 ret., 14.1 avg., 7 TD
• 2008-09: 56 ret., 6.9 avg., 0 TD
• 2010: 20 ret., 16.7 avg*., 2 TD*

Hester's kick returns
• 2006-07: 63 ret., 23.2 avg., 4 TD
• 2008-09: 38 ret., 22.0 avg., 0 TD
• 2010: 2 ret., 50.0 avg., 0 TD

In Sunday's win vs. the Minnesota Vikings, Hester returned his first kickoff of the season 32 yards. He brought his next one back 68 yards, setting up a field goal. He also scored on a 19-yard pass from Jay Cutler and returned a punt 42 yards.

"I feel like I can do great things with the great talent that God blessed me with," says Hester.

"Kickoff returns are just another opportunity for me to get my hands on the ball."

The last time the Miami Dolphins appeared in prime time -- they lost to the New England Patriots 41-14 -- Brandon Tate returned a kickoff 103 yards, a contributing factor into the subsequent dismissal of Miami special teams coach John Bonamego.

Thursday night the Fins must try to contain Hester, who's been an important supplement to a Chicago offense struggling to move the ball (297.3 yards per game, 29th league-wide) and score (19.4 points per game, 23rd). And the next time Hester heads to the house running back a kick, he'll run into the record book. He's currently tied with Brian Mitchell for the most combined kickoffs and punts returned for TDs (13).

"When you've got the best returner in the world on your team, you want to put him back there at any time because he's going to make something happen," Knox says.

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(usatoday.com)