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Bennett's crushing hit leaves Ryan dazed, sore

Growing up in Regina, Saskatchewan, where he played hockey until 11th grade, Seattle punter Jon Ryan absorbed his share of hits both on the ice and on the football field.

The hits kept coming at the University of Regina and when Ryan later punted for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Never, however, has the 28-year-old taken a shot like the one Earl Bennett laid on him late in the fourth quarter of Seattle's 23-20 win over the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.

The 6-foot, 204-pound Bennett, a wide receiver who's used to getting hit and not delivering them, made like Niklas Hjalmarsson and sent the unsuspecting Ryan flyin'.

“Didn't see it at all, said Ryan, 6 foot and 217 pounds. “Part of the game, I guess.

On what turned out to be an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown by Devin Hester, Bennett spied the long-haired Ryan speeding diagonally across the field in pursuit of Hester and leveled a shoulder into him. Ryan went airborne at the Bears' 35, crashed hard and lay on the grass until long after Hester had strutted into the end zone and celebrated with happy teammates.

“It (stinks) having a punt returned on you like that, Ryan said, “especially when you don't remember it.

Ryan, a former Packers punter, grabbed the front of his jersey after the hit by Bennett. A couple of minutes later, the wounded Seahawk was helped to his feet and walked to the sideline without assistance.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Ryan got hit in the ribs.

“It feels like I got hit everywhere right now, Ryan said in the Seattle locker room.

Funny thing is, Ryan delivered his own impact on the game.

He was asked to punt 10 times and dropped 6 punts inside the 20. As a result, he was responsible for the Bears starting drives at their own 17, 5, 8, 10, 8 and 1.

“It was definitely a field-position game, Ryan said. “I don't know who won it, but I guess we won the game.

Ryan also boomed a 56-yard punt.

“I thought Jon Ryan had a fantastic day punting the football, Carroll said. “We tried to kick the last one out of bounds and it just didn't go and, unfortunately, you saw what happened. But all in all, he had a terrific day for us keeping them pinned back.

Most important, Ryan was feeling good enough afterward to talk coherently about one terrific hit he took.

“I played receiver in college. I played running back in high school, Ryan said. “I never got hit like that in my life.

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