Raiders will kick to Hester .... (1 Viewer)

[BustedKnuckles]

Raiders will kick to Hester



News: After watching most teams kick the ball away from Devin Hester all season, Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was a little surprised to hear that Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin planned to challenge the NFL's best returner Week 10. "Serious? Punts and kickoffs? It will be fun then," Urlacher said Wednesday on a conference call with Bay Area reporters. "I can't wait to watch." Kiffin said "it's no fun to kick out of bounds," and he wanted to test his special teams on Sunday against a player he called perhaps the best punt returner ever to play the game. Whether that's just pregame bluster or his actual strategy won't be known until Sunday. "We would definitely welcome that philosophy," Chicago coach Lovie Smith said.

Analysis: Most teams do whatever they can to keep the ball away from Hester, who has nine returns for touchdowns in less than two full seasons in the NFL. Hester is so dangerous at returning kicks and punts that teams often prefer to kick the ball out of bounds just to keep him from having a chance at pulling off another highlight-reel return. Hester's nine special teams return touchdowns are already tied for fourth most in NFL history, trailing Brian Mitchell (13), Dante Hall and Eric Metcalf (12 each). That doesn't even count his kickoff return to open the Super Bowl against Indianapolis last season. Hester, who missed Wednesday's practice with an illness, only helps in Fantasy leagues that reward for return yards at this time. He is expected to play Week 10.

 

[CalBear]

Two answers:

1) In terms of expected value, it's almost certainly better to kick to him than to kick away from him.

2) Janikowski will boot it into the end zone most times anyway.

 

[Mikey16x]

looks like kiffin's fantasy league awards points for return yards.

 

[mad sweeney]

It worked for one team, Dallas I think. I know he's always a threat for big yardage and a TD but if your coverage team stays disciplined then there's a chance of containining him.

One thing I found out recently is that only 1 player in NFL history has ever returned 3 punts over 90 yards for a TD, and his name isn't Hester. Or Hall, or Metcalf. It's Burleson.

 

[RBM]

One thing I found out recently is that only 1 player in NFL history has ever returned 3 punts over 90 yards for a TD, and his name isn't Hester. Or Hall, or Metcalf. It's Burleson.

While that is an impressive stat, I would assume most big time punt returners were too smart to be fielding punts inside the 10.

 

[simmonjm]

One thing I found out recently is that only 1 player in NFL history has ever returned 3 punts over 90 yards for a TD, and his name isn't Hester. Or Hall, or Metcalf. It's Burleson.

While that is an impressive stat, I would assume most big time punt returners were too smart to be fielding punts inside the 10.

 

[titanT]

Anybody heard anything else on this? Will he actually kick to him? My guess is he is going to rely on Seabass kicking them out of the back of the endzone.

I have Hester is a league with return 25 yards/pt and 6 pt/TDs and am debating Hester v. Calvin Johnson

 

[BustedKnuckles]

ALAMEDA — The question was posed to Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher on Wednesday morning: Are you excited about the prospect of the Raiders kicking to Devin Hester on Sunday?

Urlacher interrupted the questioner midsentence.

"Serious?" Urlacher shot back. "Punts and kickoffs?"

Sure thing, Brian. Raiders coach Lane Kiffin told the Chicago-area media in a conference call Wednesday that he intends to let kicker Sebastian Janikowski and punter Shane Lechler go about their business, even though one of the league's most dangerous returners will be at the receiving end.

It remains to be seen whether Kiffin threw out that salacious tidbit just so that the Chicago-area media can have some fun with it all week. For history shows that messing with Hester is akin to throwing lit matches into a gas-filled room.

By now, everyone knows it's only a matter of time before Hester explodes into the open field with a punt or kickoff and makes you ask, "What were we thinking?"

 

[mad sweeney]

One thing I found out recently is that only 1 player in NFL history has ever returned 3 punts over 90 yards for a TD, and his name isn't Hester. Or Hall, or Metcalf. It's Burleson.

While that is an impressive stat, I would assume most big time punt returners were too smart to be fielding punts inside the 10.

That's a good point that I didn't think of and realizing that I relived the "oh #####" feelings I went through when he snaked a punt against the Rams last year in heavy traffic. Don't remember the other one but the last one was a good pickup with the punt beating the coverage and no point letting it settle at the 5 when he can pickup at least a few yards, or bust it! I just don't see punting to Hester. Seabass can kick it out of the end zone for KOs. But I dunno about punting. And are they going to try for a 60 yard FG with Hester waiting underneath? Seabass has the leg but if he shanks it...

 

[Cookiemonster]

I've been seriously toying with the idea of starting Hester this week. We get no points for return yards, but 10 for a return TD. Lechler out-punts the Raider's poor coverage all the time. I could get a goosegg, but I could get 20 pts (offensive plays aside).

 

[JHuber77]

Because they are the Raiders! They are always doing the dumbest things, because they are the Raiders!

 

[One]

 

[BusterTBronco]

Because the Raider special teams know how to cover punts.

That's why.