Special deliveries
Game-breaking Hester, crack coverage units could give Bears a winning edge
Three Bears' special-teams players were named to the Pro Bowl: kicker Robbie Gould, return man Devin Hester and coverage ace Brendon Ayanbadejo.
Hester has attracted a lot of attention this week, and not just because he's back in his old stomping grounds and would have been a senior at Miami this year if he hadn't declared for the draft a year early. The Bears grabbed him in the second round despite the fact he had no real position, although he's listed as a cornerback but likely has a future at wide receiver.
What Hester has is speed: game-breaking, big-play producing, watch-him-go speed.
Hester is a darkhorse Super Bowl MVP candidate because of the combination of his NFL-record six touchdown returns during the regular season and the Colts' dismal showing in return coverage (30th in the league on kickoffs, 31st on punts).
''That sounds great to me,'' Hester said of duplicating the feat of Green Bay Packers returner Desmond Howard, who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXI after returning a kick 99 yards for a score against New England. ''It's a dream to play in the Super Bowl and I get to play it at home and everything.''
Hester could be a huge factor. Indianapolis gave up an 80-yard kickoff return to the Patriots that set up a touchdown and nearly cost the Colts the AFC Championship Game. The Jets' Justin Miller broke a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Colts earlier this season and the Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew burned them for a 93-yard kickoff return TD. The Redskins' Antwaan Randle-El brought a punt back 83 yards for a touchdown against them.
The Colts allowed five other returns of more than 40 yards that didn't end up in the end zone, including an 88-yarder. They have tried to address their problems with coverage teams in the playoffs by moving starters to coverage units (safety Bob Sanders and linebacker Rob Morris pulled extra duty against New England).
''There are a lot of egos in this league, a lot of players who were stars in college that don't want to play special teams,'' said Bears linebacker Darrell McClover, who signed at midseason, but still finished fourth with 18 special-teams tackles. ''Here you have guys competing to get downfield to make a play. Everybody wants to make the tackle.''
The Bears have plenty of guys who are willing to sacrifice their bodies to make a play in coverage.
''It's a lot like driving down the expressway and you're speeding and other people are driving the speed limit,'' Ayanbadejo said. ''You're trying to get somewhere.''
The Bears have devoted a lot of resources to make their special teams work. Not only did they use a high pick on Hester, they also traded for Ayanbadejo and signed Dante Wesley off the free-agent market. Starters are used on one unit as a general rule, but there are some outstanding core special-teams players, such as running back Adrian Peterson and safety Cameron Worrell.
They take pride in covering kicks, but also in making blocks to spring Hester.
''With Devin back there, it's always a possibility you can have a big impact with a score or a big return to set up the offense,'' Worrell said. ''Every game, that's our mind-set. We want to get Devin an opportunity every week.''
Hester isn't the only Bears specialist who is among the best at what he does. Brad Maynard is an excellent punter who doubles as a holder on field-goal attempts. Long snapper Patrick Mannelly long has been the best in the NFL at his specialty.
Gould is a budding star with a great story. He walked onto his high school team as a soccer player invited to try out. He walked on at Penn State, where he became a scholarship player. He effectively walked on in the NFL, signing as an undrafted free agent with New England only to get cut and eventually land with the Bears after Doug Brien was injured last year.
Gould changed from a three-step kicker to a two-step technique with the Patriots and honed his skills on his own while working construction before the Bears called.
''Changing to a two-step kicker made my first step more consistent,'' Gould said. ''Consistency is what makes or breaks a kicker in the NFL. I've just become a lot more consistent.''
If the Bears are feeling good about their special-teams matchup, they're not bragging about it. They know games can take on a style of their own and apparent strengths can fizzle on the big stage. But the Bears have excellent coaching on special teams, with coordinator Dave Toub regarded as a hot commodity around the league because he's effectively heading to free agency when his contract expires Feb. 28.
Toub and assistant Kevin O'Dea oversee a complicated area that is ranked based on a composite system of 22 factors created by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. The Bears were in the top 10 in 11 of those areas, which include return yards, coverage, drive starting point, punting, field goals, extra points, turnovers, total points, blocked kicks and penalties.
''We have to win on special teams,'' Ayanbadejo said. ''Regardless if we need it [to win Sunday] or not, we always pride ourselves on being the best team on special teams on the field on any given Sunday. [The Colts] are playing great ball right now on special teams.
''You never know. You could get out-schemed. Something could happen you are not prepared for, but with two weeks you should prepare for everything. You would like to think mano-a-mano, the more physical team is going to win. We have to be that team.''