(Also see: MDS's Point: Hester Is Great, But He's Not Rookie of the Year)
Devin Hester's got six touchdowns. There are rookies who have more (Marques Colston and Reggie Bush have 7, Joseph Addai has 8, and Maurice Jones-Drew an astounding 12), but Hester's touchdowns are different. When he scores, he's doing the work of an entire offensive drive, and he's changing the game.
For example, let's say the Saints start with a 1st and 10 from their own 20, and they put together an 80-yard drive that ends in a touchdown. And let's say Drew Brees throws for 50 of those 80 yards, Dulymus McAllister runs for 15, and Reggie Bush runs for 15, the final five of which put the ball in the endzone. That's six points.
Now, let's say Devin Hester fields a punt at his own 20, and he just hauls ass for 80 yards. That's also six points, and he did it all by himself. He did the work of 11 men on an entire offensive drive there. Return yards don't get the same attention as yards from scrimmage, and maybe rightfully so. But yards are yards, field position is field position, and touchdowns are touchdowns.
And to take it away from a statistical level ... Devin Hester changes games. He changes momentum, he sucks the life from the other team, he brings crowds alive ... a football game before a Devin Hester touchdown is a different football game afterwards.
You can make a pretty good case that Chicago wouldn't have won recent games against Minnesota or St. Louis without Hester. Take away the points he's responsible for, and those are very close games, and when you add in the unmeasurables like momentum and attitude ... at the very least, he was the Bears MVP on those nights, if not directly responsible for the wins. A lot of rookies have had good games, but other than Vince Young, not a lot can say they're directly responsible for two wins.
Now, at the same time ... I've gotta confess that I wouldn't vote for Devin Hester as rookie of the year. And if Vince Young wins a couple more games, the whole conversation is going to be moot. But when the votes are cast, Hester's earned the right to have his name brought up in the discussion.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-13-2006 @ 10:04PM
jrose said...
sure, he's in the conversation. hester is undoubtedly terrific. but the race is over, and vince young has already won.
vy puts a team on his back every game. every offensive possession its all, or mostly, vy kicking ass and taking names. the guy just slays teams, and w/o him tennessee would be in detroit lion territory right now.
special teams touchdowns are a huge boost, and hester is a pro bowler for sure (and first team all pro is there is a slot for kr/pr).
i think, as a rule, you can't give it to a guy who touches the ball, say, at most 8 times a game (who is on a very good team otherwise) versus a guy who takes all the offensive snaps and just wins game after game.
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12-14-2006 @ 12:52PM
Elliot said...
You could also credit Hester with the wins over Arizona and the Giants.
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12-14-2006 @ 1:14PM
Dan V. said...
Vince Young, while an electric player, is a "running quarterback" in the same mold as Michael Vick.
Running qbs in the NFL are as rare a breed as a dinosaur for all the same reasons. They are dead!!!!!!!!
The dinos died for some obsucure reason.
Qb's die because NFL defenses chew them up and spit them out----dead!!
Running qb's do not a winner make! Witness the standing of either the Falcons or the Titans. Mid pack at best. Atlanta MAY have a shot at a wild card.
Both Vick and Young are still alive and relatively healthy!
The clock is ticking.
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12-15-2006 @ 11:37AM
Alex said...
So when Hester returns a kick, he does it all by himself? I think the other 10 guys who are out there blocking for him might take exception to your beliefs that Hester is a one man show. I know I do.
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12-16-2006 @ 4:56PM
brian said...
i find it pretty funny how everyone around the country is so blind to not only his team but himself. Maurice Jones-Drew is clearly the rookie of the year. Hmmmm lets see why... #1 in Td's...enough said. 2nd in rushing yards with 72 less carries than Addai. 2nd in kickoff return average to Maroney. 5th in catches. 1st in points,leads by one point over the kicker in new england and by 24 points to the next dude. 1st in rushing td's. 1st in yards per carry for all rookies with over 100 carries,2nd if you include all rookies. The only rookie besides reggie bush with atleast one rushing,receiving,and returning touchdown. Not to mention hes the only rookie who returns kicks and punts. Sometimes i have to just sit back and laugh at all you fools who look past anything and everything the comes out of jacksonville. Isnt it funny how Fred Taylor can be 5th all time in yards per game(2nd amongst active RB's) and 6th all time in Yards per carry(2nd amongst active RB's),just passed Earl Campbell in rushing yards,hes now currently 21st and he's never been to a Pro Bowl. Isnt it HILARIOUS how out of all the top 50 runnings backs in term of yardage,only two have never been to a pro bowl, Fred Taylor and Antowain Smith, Smith couldnt even wash Taylors jockstrap. Hes the most underrated back pretty much of all time and definetly of his generation. thats the biggest joke in all of sports. im out.....Oh yea P.S. check the top 3 this year in yards per carry in the AFC, you might find a few Jaguars in the top 3....peace
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12-17-2006 @ 8:09PM
john said...
anyone that doesnt think VY is the rookie of the year is crazy. they would be 2-4 wins w/o him. now ..while unlikely....they still have a chance of the play offs. drew is great but hes also on a much better team. while drew is a close second i go with VY all the way....
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12-18-2006 @ 2:52PM
Marva said...
Without question, VY is the rookie of the year. No one has meant more to their team. The Titans were 0-5 before he took over as starting QB. They are now 7-7 and are mathematically in the race for making the playoffs. Just imagine if he had started any one of those 5 games. He makes everyone else around him better.
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