Chance of
New Orleans
Punting to Hester:
97%
(data from "Hester Wizard"©)

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 11/20/2008 5:23 PM

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Devin Hester insists that he hasn’t lost any confidence, but the two-time All Pro is extremely frustrated with his lack of success in the return game this season.

After breaking the NFL record for kick return touchdowns in each of his first two seasons with five in 2005 and six in 2006, Hester is still seeking his first kick return score of the year.

Devin Hester was all smiles on Dec. 11, 2006 when he received a game ball after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns in a win over the St. Louis Rams.

“It’s tough, not only [on] myself but to the fans and to the team,” Hester said. “I set a high standard not only for myself but for outsiders that I’m the guy that’s going to take five or six returns to the house, and I haven’t taken [any]. 

"It’s tough on me. I don’t even like going outside now. I’ve just got to find that edge and overcome it.

“The return game was basically my success in football, and now that it’s not there, it’s tough [not] being that football player that everybody knew about.”

Hester ranks 21st in the NFL in punt returns with a 6.3-yard average and a long of 25 yards and 32nd in kickoff returns with a 21.8-yard average and a long of 51 yards.

Last season, Hester finished second in the NFL in punt returns with a 15.5-yard average and set a league record with four touchdowns. He also returned two kickoffs for scores, a 97-yarder against the Detroit Lions and an 88-yarder versus the Denver Broncos.

A year later, Hester has only one punt return of more than 20 yards and three kickoff returns over 30 yards.

“I’m frustrated,” he said. “It’s hard. I want to get back to where I was, not only as a player but as a home run hitter.”

Hester knocked two out of the park in his only previous appearance in St. Louis. On Dec. 11, 2006, he became only the sixth player in NFL history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns, dashing 94 and 96 yards in a 42-27 victory.

Coach Lovie Smith hopes that familiarity breeds success for Hester when the Bears (5-5) return to St. Louis Sunday to face the struggling Rams (2-8).

“I think it can [help] when you know you’ve  had success [with] maybe something as small as a certain stadium or a certain surface, for whatever reason,” Smith said. “He only probably has good memories about playing in that dome. Hopefully he can get it back. We’re looking for any little thing that’ll give us a boost and get all of us going—Devin and our entire football team.”

Hester seemingly has been hurt this season by a lack of continuity on special teams. The Bears lost Brendon Ayanbadejo in free agency and Rod Wilson to an injury, while other key contributors such as Corey Graham, Kevin Payne and Nick Roach get fewer special-teams reps because they’re playing more on defense.

“It just hasn’t been the way it’s normally been,” Hester said. “I could sit here and say it’s my fault. But there are 11 guys out there on the field. I’m not the only one out there. I know at the end of the day I get blamed for the return game. That’s what they want to say because I’ve got the ball in my hand, but there are 11 guys on the field.”

In addition to personnel changes, the attitude seems to be different as well.

“The whole return game was always fighting and guys were competing,” Hester said. “We just had that swagger where we knew that each and every week we were going to have a big game returning, and we’ve just got to find that swagger and bring it back.”

Asked how he deals with a superstar such as Hester who has struggled after experiencing great success early in his career, Smith said: “You continue to talk about the good things he’s done.

“He’s done great things that no one else has done in the history of the game, and you let players know experience tells you [that] you go through spells like this where things just don’t work for whatever reason. But you keep fighting and eventually you get that back.

“And not just Devin. That’s what we’re talking about with our football team. You go through some tough times, but tough times normally don’t last, and that’s how we see it. Devin Hester’s a good football player. He’s one week away from doing some of the  things he’s used to doing.”