Last week’s ‘Bears Rewind’ was a tip of the hat to one of Devin Hester’s memorable moments as a Bear. We’re going to stick with that trend this week because with Hester being on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot again, I think we can never have to many walks down memory lane … apparently too many people forgot just how darn good he was.
In an October 2007 meeting with the Vikings, Hester did a little of everything. Hester took a Vikings punt 89 yards to the house here to give the Bears a first-quarter lead over Minnesota, but he wasn’t done there.
This is one of Hester’s best returns; catching a booming punt on the run, moving towards his own goal line, and then methodically deking a slew of Vikings defenders before turning on the Jets displays just how good Hester was in that department.
I mean, look at this!
Hester and Adrian Peterson ruled the day in this one, with Adrian Peterson rushing for 224 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Peterson broke off touchdown runs of 67 yards, 73 yards, and 34 yards. The final of those big touchdown runs for Peterson gave the Vikings a 31-17 lead in the fourth quarter, but Hester and the Bears weren’t done yet.
After a Muhsin Muhammad touchdown catch with 2:36 to play that made it a one-score game, Hester caught an 81-yard touchdown score from Brian Griese to tie the game at 31.
The Vikings would kick a FG as time expired to hold on for a 34-31 win, but this one was a fun game to watch and look back on. Here’s a mashup of the touchdowns by Peterson and Hester that day: