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I am a multimedia nut, journalism, photography, videography, radio broadcasting and production. I’ve done it all, but I love to write and have a lot to say. I live in the Chicagoland area now and have always had an extreme love and passion for the Chicago Bears
Special Teams Battle Key To Cleveland Game
Written by Brett Solesky   
Friday, 30 October 2009 13:28
The Cleveland Browns are not the most motivated team right now.  They don't do a lot of things well, but one thing they do well that the Bears do quite poorly is kickoff return and coverage. 

The Browns are fifth in the league in kick off return average averaging 25.3 yards per return.  The Bears on the other hand are 27th in the league in kick return defense.  For all the talk of greatness, the Bears rate as one of the worst teams in the league in kick off coverage.  Something that could likely change the course of the football game for the Bears. 

Nothing swings the momentum of a football game like a big kick off return and the Browns' return game led by Josh Cribbs has consistently one of the best in the NFL.  Cribbs is every bit as dangerous as Devin Hester or Johnny Knox and this has to be something the Bears need to be very aware of.

Dave ToubDave Toub has been the Bears' "genius" special teams coach but his genius hasn't been able slow opponents down in the return game.  Where the Bears have excelled has been in kick return yardage, and in punt coverage.  But the punt coverage statistic is a bit misleading because of just how good Brad Maynard is versus how good the coverage is. 

Any punt coverage team can look as good as the Bears do on an annual basis when you have a kicker that is so precise at his ability to accurately kick the ball at an angle giving coverage teams the advantage by keeping the returner pinned against the side line. 

The coverage unit will have it's hands full as well with Cleveland averaging a league leading 16.7 yards per punt return.  The Bears are a solid 10th in the league in punt coverage allowing only 6.6 yards per punt return.  They will however face their biggest challenge yet in this game. 

The Bears will need to ensure that they squeeze every bit of genius out of Dave Toub this weekend.  Toub is undoubtedly a good special teams coach, but he benefits a lot from the speed he has from the return men.  Devin Hester, Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox are three of the fastest players in the NFL which has been the biggest reason the Bears return kicks so well. 

The only real positive though will be if the Bears are in fact kicking the ball off to the Browns a lot.  This duh for obvious reasons will be a good thing because it means the Bears will be scoring a lot.  The Browns don't succeed at much but this is one area that could provide the Bears some trouble.
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