Devin Hester, a Hall of Famer?

[Mizzougrad96]

During Chicago's Super Bowl year (the loss to the Colts) the player that opposing teams were most worried about was Hester by about a mile.

Not Urlacher. Not Briggs. Not anyone on offense.

They played the team that I covered that year and the week they played Chicago it was all about how do you keep Devin Hester from beating you. I don't think that's the case with too many specialists.

 

[Bob Cook]

So because some games turned on a special teams play, that proves that special teams are 1/3 of the game?

Read the second half of my post as welll.

I read it, and wasn't impressed.

Yes, a missed field goal makes a drive worthless. But all NFL teams have kickers who make most of their kicks. Over the long run, the difference between kickers in terms of percentages made isn't even that big.

You might as well say "if the defense didn't know how to decline penalties, then the offense could commit massive violations every play and score easily. So being able to decline penalties is just as important as playing defense."

2010 San Diego Chargers: Superb offense, supberb defense .... but poor special teams. Didn't make playoffs.

By contrast, I saw Mike Scifres and Darren Sproles beat the Colts practically by themselves in the playoffs a couple of years ago. I think Scifres put five punts inside the 20, and most of them inside the 10, while Sproles was running wild on kick returns. I've never seen a performance like the one Scifres put on. Part of the Colts' playoff struggles have been a leaky defense that often has a short field to defend and Manning having to drive the length of the field every time out.

 

[Brian]

The lack of Eric Metcalf and Josh Cribbs references in this thread are killing me.

To that point, both have incredible return numbers and both are nowhere close to being HOFs. I don't see Hester as that much better than Cribbs. So I don't think Hester is anywhere close to being a HOF.

 

[nmmetsfan]

As good as Hester is, the point that special teams are made up mostly of second- and third-team offensive and defensive players shouldn't be understated.

 

[RickStain]

I don't see Hester as that much better than Cribbs.

Devin Hester: 16 touchdowns, 302 returns, 5.25 seasons

Josh Cribbs: 10 touchdowns, 428 returns, 6 seasons

Yes, he is that much better.

 

[Dick Whitman]

You hear coaches all the time talk about the three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. If the people involved in the game value special teams just as much offense and defense, I don't see any reason players like Hester, Mitchell, Tasker or Ray Guy shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame.

The short answer is that coaches are full of shirt when they say that, same with the other 99 percent of what they say.

I don't think they're full of shirt at all. Try telling the 1990 Bills that special teams weren't 1/3 of the game. Ultimately, what stood between winning and losing was a missed kick by Norwood. Or how about when Desean Jackson beat the Giants last season with a punt return.

The success of offenses and defenses are often dependent on the play of special teams. Think about it. The increased percentage that an offense will score points when starting a drive from its own 35 as opposed to starting at its own 20 is significant.

If the offense drives the field and the field goal team can't execute a kick, what does it matter how effective offense is? All three phases are equally dependent on one another.

I am not arguing that special teams are important. They are.

I am arguing about whether coaches actually treat them that way. How many special teams coaches do you hear about getting head coaching jobs?

There's usually a step in between, but there are a handful of head coaches and former head coaches who coached special teams at some point in their careers.

Bill Cowher is the one who immediately jumps to mind. I think Ken Whisenhunt was a ST coach at some point. Belichick was one early in his career. I'm sure there are others...

I mean, most coaches were position coaches at one time, too. I'm talking about the direct jump from ST coach to head coach.

 

[Bob Cook]

Frank Gansz set back special-teamers-to-head-coaches by 20 years.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

For shirts and giggles we may as well start name-dropping every return man who showed a scintilla of decent return ability.
I already plucked Via Sikaheama from the pages of NFL history. And I saw Billy "White Shoes" Johnson mentioned - neither of which as on Hester's level by the way ...

No one has mentioned the Ice Cube Gerald McNeil?

 

[Point of Order]

Reggie Roby should be in the Hall.

 

[Beef03]

Love the Bears, love Hester, but no way is he a hall of famer. Because he is primarily a special teamer he is going to have to put the return record to an untouchable unheard of level. 25? I think that is the ball park.

His ability to return is, I think, unquestioned but I think it would get a whole lot more respect -- not just the fanfare he currently gets -- if he was making those returns against first string players.

 

[cyclingwriter]

For shirts and giggles we may as well start name-dropping every return man who showed a scintilla of decent return ability.
I already plucked Via Sikaheama from the pages of NFL history. And I saw Billy "White Shoes" Johnson mentioned - neither of which as on Hester's level by the way ...

No one has mentioned the Ice Cube Gerald McNeil?

Ricky Upchurch was way better than Bill Johnson. There I said it!

 

[YGBFKM]

Love the Bears, love Hester, but no way is he a hall of famer. Because he is primarily a special teamer he is going to have to put the return record to an untouchable unheard of level. 25? I think that is the ball park.

His ability to return is, I think, unquestioned but I think it would get a whole lot more respect -- not just the fanfare he currently gets -- if he was making those returns against first string players.

OK, if all return teams are made up of shirtty players, then why isn't everyone returning kicks so easily?