Manning May Step in For Hester

The Chicago Bears may have suffered another blow besides the loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.  In the third quarter, star kick returner Devin Hester left with an injury to his ribs.  It is not yet known whether or not Hester will be able to play next Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but coach Lovie Smith knows the team must forge on either way. He told Larry Mayer, “Devin’s doing quite a bit for us. But we feel like we have some guys that can step in, and that’s what happens. You have injuries throughout. Guys don’t play for certain reasons. Carolina played without their best receiver [Steve Smith] for a couple games. You find another way to win.”

The backup plan for Chicago lies in the hands (and feet) of Danieal Manning.  The special teams coordinator, Dave Toub, has confidence that Manning could not only get the job done in lieu of Hester, but also excel at kickoff returns. Manning is in his third year in the league and came from Abilene Christian. The Bears chose him during the second round of the 2006 draft.  He has only been improving as he gains experience, making him a great backup if Hester cannot play.  Find your Chicago Bears tickets at StubHub.com.

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