Hester hopes to begin birthday celebration in end zone

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – You can't buy what Devin Hester wants most for his birthday at any store. But it could be delivered Sunday at Soldier Field when the Bears host the Detroit Lions.

The two-time All Pro is still seeking his first kick return touchdown of the season after breaking the NFL record in each of his first two years with five scores in 2005 and six in 2006.

“That would probably be the best birthday gift I got,” said Hester, who will turn 26 on Tuesday.

In six games this season—he sat out a loss to Tampa Bay Sept. 21 with a rib injury—the dynamic playmaker ranks 21st in the NFL in punt returns with an average of 5.4 yards. 

Hester, however, has only had 11 punt returns after having 20 at this point last year. In his first two seasons, he scored seven TDs on 89 returns, a ratio of one TD for every 12.7 returns.

Hester is 27th in the league in kickoff returns with a 22.1-yard average, though his presence alone has caused opponents to employ squib and bloop kicks, which have routinely resulted in excellent field position. The Bears rank first in the NFC and fourth in the NFL with an average starting field position after kickoffs at their own 29.3-yard line.

Hester, though, still wants to get into the end zone.

“I put all the pressure on myself and say that it is kind of my fault that the return game is not the way it was,” Hester said. “At the end of the day, I’m the one with the ball in my hands. I have to be the one to figure it out and pick up the slack.

“If something breaks down, that’s why they rely on me. I have to be the one to step up and make big plays. It hasn’t been the way it’s been, so I take some of the blame for it.”

While coaches appreciate the accountability from their young superstar, they also stress that the return game is a team effort that involves all 11 players on the field.

“He assumes he is going to score every time he touches the football,” said coach Lovie Smith. “I can see why a guy like that would think that way, but it has been a lot more than just Devin. We need to do some things to help him out—mainly block better—to give him more opportunities.

“It’s just a matter of time. The second half of the season, Devin like the rest of our football team can make a lot of improvement, and I expect that to happen.”

Smith acknowledged that Hester’s unprecedented success in his first two seasons probably created some unrealistic expectations.

“We had never seen anything like it before,” said the Bears coach. “Now after seven games he hasn’t scored seven times and we’re kind of wondering what is going on. But there is a lot of football left to go. We need Devin—just like the rest of our players—to step up, and he will.”

Hester has emerged as a regular contributor on offense with 18 receptions for 215 yards and 2 TDs. But he doesn’t believe that his development as a receiver has hindered his return ability.

“To be honest, I’m not tired when it’s time to return kickoffs and punts, so I wouldn’t say that’s a reason,” Hester said. “But I do know I have to get better and what I’m capable of doing.”

(chicagobears.com)