on www.chicagobears.com
question answered on 09/30/09 by Bears own beat writer Larry Mayer

Why is Johnny Knox returning kickoffs instead of Danieal Manning?

Mike G.
Dallas, Texas

There are two main reasons that Johnny Knox is returning kickoffs. First, Danieal Manning is starting at free safety and then moving to nickel back in passing situations, and the Bears don’t want to put too much on his plate, especially after he missed most of training camp and the first three preseason games with a hamstring injury. Second, with the new NFL rule that prohibits teams from forming wedges with three or more players, Knox seemingly is better suited to return kickoffs than Manning because of their running styles. Knox is more like a punt returner who will find a hole with a backside cut or bounce a return outside, while Manning is more of a powerful north/south runner who hits it hard at the point of attack. That's not to say that Manning wouldn't be successful in that role. He led the NFL in kickoff returns last season with a 29.7-yard average after taking over for Devin Hester around midseason, and I think he would also excel this year.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I love Knox but I hope next time he actually carries the ball over the goal line.

Bears were lucky they didn't show a replay to alert the Lions to challenge. I replayed it and he didn't score.

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You know me like that.

I thought he pulled a DeSean Jackson too, bus as you said, they didn't show a replay, and I didn't have a DVR or Tivo or anything to check myself.

I'm glad 2 other people saw that! I thought I was seeing things. Are there really football players that stupid and careless? Somebody needs to have a sitdown with that little bitch!

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Calm down Pasta

hes been very good overall

one dumb play can erase 5 good ones.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Not really.

Especially when the good ones are in EVERY game. It was dumb. Move on.
I thought litttle bitch was a bit harsh.

This isnt prison or Russia

I'm not a guy who says: "act like you've been there" when it comes to TD celebrations. I enjoy the creative talents of a lot of WR's celebrations.
BUT dropping a ball before you enter the End Zone when you are untouched is assinine. Knox is having a great year so far,hope it continues.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Dr:

I still can't believe that FOX has never at any time today showed that replay. I remember Chad Johnson doing the same thing in a bowl game against ND when he was a senior at OSU.

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Fox did a horrible job today. They didn't show that replay. They didn't show the offsides on the Detroit FG attempt that was a critical play and there was another one that I couldn't believe but I don't remember the play right now.

That's as bad a job of NFL game coverage as I can remember. Almost as bad as NBC missing a good chunk of the ND overtime yesterday on Chicago local WMAQ.

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You know me like that.

Replayed and paused the Knox TD myself, and he's LUCKY there was no review. If that play was reviewed, I'd say there's a good chance he's inactive in two weeks, and Aromashodu takes his spot at WR, with Manning returning kicks.

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Second City Saint

Thats just stupid to say that. Knox has made important contributions in EVERY game so far this season. Has he made mistakes...yes. As is the case with most rookies he has. Mistakes on routes that resulted in an interception in game 1, as well as this incident. But he has also been one guy that has produced from the WR position consistently. He surely will be talked to, about being more careful about when and where he should drop/or spike the football, but there is no way they are going to sit a guy like this. He and Earl Bennett are the 2 that will give the Bears production from the WR spots every week. He is the one guy that has the skill-set to be a true #1 WR too. Not Hester, Not Bennett-Knox.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Somebody called into Doug and OB about that. They told him to shut up, anointed him the worst caller of the show and told him to never call again.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

I don't have the replay handy, but if I remember correctly... didn't he drop the ball behind him? If so, I'm pretty sure the ball landed in the endzone, so I would think it was fine.



Either way, it's a silly mistake.

Nobody fell on the ball, and it did not go into the endzone or out of bounds. <Hochuli> By rule </Hochuli>, thats a dead ball and it would have been Bears' ball 1st & Goal at the 1 yard line if Detriot had challenged.

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I agree with ES The only way you believe that is if you've been in a bubble and not watched a Bears game this year outside of that kick return or you are a ri-tard.

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Team Cutler.

Not only that, but there was the intermittent loss of picture, and the announcers sounding like robots for the first 20 minutes. [Ron Burgand]That's bush![/Ron Burgandy]

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