Toub raves about job Podlesh has done this year
Punter Adam Podlesh was a player that special teams coordinator Dave Toub targeted as No. 1 on his wish list in this year’s abbreviated unrestricted free agency period.
And Podlesh has shown why he was so coveted. He’s fifth in the NFL with a 40.8-yard net average. He has just 2 touchbacks on 63 punts and has allowed the lowest return average in the league, 3.3 yards. He’s also stepped in seamlessly as the holder for kicker Robbie Gould, taking over the job that former Bears punter Brad Maynard handled so well for 10 years.
“He’s done a great job,” Toub said. “He’s having a great year. To be able to come into a new place, and do everything that we expected him to do, (punting) directionally — we asked him to do a little more of that than what he had in the past — he’s really handled it great.
“As a holder for Robbie, he’s been great. Those two guys really hit it off. He’s got really good hands, he’s just been solid, and he’s a great teammate, too.”
Podlesh’s 40.8-yard average would be the highest for a single season in franchise history since 1966, when net average was first recorded. Maynard holds the Bears’ record with a 38.7 average in 2004.
Mixed signals:
In the past two weeks Devin Hester has appeared unsure of himself while allowing catchable punts to hit the ground and bounce backward, costing the Bears field position.
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub said it isn’t all Hester’s fault.
“We just had to clean up our guys,” Toub said. “Our corners, when they’re locking down gunners and they’re running down the field (blocking), they’re giving 100 percent effort and they’re trying to finish. Devin is worried that they’re trying to finish so much that they don’t pay enough attention to him catching the ball.
“He’s afraid that our guy is going to run into him. He’s making fair catches, and it’s our corners’ jobs to get out of his way when he makes the fair catch.”
High times:The elevated altitude at Denver#146;s Sports Authority Field at Mile High will not be a problem for the Bears #8212; coach Lovie Smith says so.#147;What altitude?#148; Smith said #147;It#146;s no factor for us. Conditioning isn#146;t a big thing with us. (We#146;re in) great shape, ready to go; that won#146;t be a factor.#148;Linebacker Brian Urlacher said it#146;s a minor inconvenience at worst.#147;Conditioning is never an issue, especially this late in the season,#148; Urlacher said. #147;I know the altitude#146;s high. What I#146;ve noticed playing there, is at the very beginning of the game, it gets you a little bit and you kind of adjust as the game goes on. I don#146;t think it#146;s supposed to be too cold, so it should be OK.#148;A perfect 10:With a difficult game remaining at Green Bay on Christmas Night, the 7-5 Bears probably need to win against the Broncos this afternoon, the Seahawks next week and the Vikings on New Year#146;s Day to make the playoffs.#147;Eleven-and-5 will definitely get you in,#148; linebacker Brian Urlacher said. #147;Ten-and-6 will probably get you in. So it#146;s a race to 10 for us. Whatever happens with everybody else doesn#146;t matter. We#146;ve got to take care of our business like we#146;ve said all season long. We just didn#146;t do it the last two weeks.#148;