Hester not as dominant on special teams

Devin Hester hasn't changed. The problem is with us, the media and fans who await his every return as if it carries the fulfillment of a messianic prophecy.

Hester is a flesh-and-blood return man, not a paranormal phenomena. He's without peer at his craft, but human nonetheless. That is little solace as he suffers through the longest drought without a return for a touchdown in a short career of unparalleled brilliance.

Hester feels the demand for perfection, the aura of certainty that grips an awestruck public every time he touches the ball: "Will this be the one he finally returns for a touchdown?"

Hester wonders himself.

"I am getting frustrated," Hester said. "It is frustrating because we set a high expectation for ourselves as a return game and when we're not doing it, then, at the end of the day, I feel like it's all on me.

"Maybe I'm not getting the job done. You never know. It is frustrating when you don't get the big returns you got last year and the year before."

Hester certainly has made a big jump in just the last two games, catching 11 passes combined the last two weeks, nine of which have gone for first downs. That's tied for sixth in the NFL on passes caught for a first down in that stretch, behind the likes of Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne with 11 each and Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White and Steve Smith, all with 10. That's some very exclusive company.

Hester caught 20 passes all of last season, but already has 16 catches in just five games (he missed one due to a rib injury). He has gained 193 yards with two touchdowns as a receiver.

But as sure as he's catching on with the offense, his numbers have diminished in the return game. Unfair as any comparison may be given Hester's unprecedented success in his first two seasons, the simple fact is that he's getting fewer opportunities and doing less with those chances.

Hester has returned 14 kickoffs with a 22.6-yard average and returned 11 punts with four fair catches for a 5.4-yard average. He has no return touchdowns. A year ago at the same point in the season, he had returned 19 kickoffs for a 23.6 average with one touchdown and 20 punts with four fair catches for a 19.4 average, including two touchdowns of 73 and 89 yards.

Hester has had two punt returns covering 17 and 28 called back because of penalties. If you add those numbers to his total he's still averaging only eight yards per punt return.

Remove the two touchdowns from last year's total in the same time period and he still was averaging over 12 yards a return.

Again, it's absurd to think Hester can continue at the pace he has started his career. What he has accomplished is extraordinary. Hester has 13 return touchdowns, counting a 108-yard return off a missed field goal and the fastest-ever score off the opening kickoff in the Super Bowl.

Officially, he has 11 touchdown returns, which puts him just two off the NFL career record of 13 set by Brian Mitchell from 1990-2003. He's one return behind Dante Hall, who is in his ninth season, and Eric Metcalf, who retired in 2002 after 14 years.

Hester's reputation precedes him and teams seem better prepared than ever when they face the Bears.

In addition, the Bears -- like every special-teams unit in the NFL -- have to fit new players into new roles. Nobody wants to admit it, but the team misses Brendon Ayanbadejo, who made two Pro Bowls with the Bears. He bolted to Baltimore as a free agent. The combination of new players, less opportunity due to pooch punts and squib kicks and more preparation from opponents takes a toll, but the challenge of facing Hester is also a motivating factor for opponents.

Hester laughs at the idea that his new contract, which includes incentives for him as a receiver, somehow has him more motivated for that position than for his special-teams role.

He can increase his base pay by $3.5 million in 2012 and $4.5 million in 2013 and has a chance to earn a de-escalating roster bonus of $10 million in 2013 based on a four-tiered structure tied to number of receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and combined touchdowns produced to that point.

(suburbanchicagonews.com)