In theory, the Bears should be among the least-likely teams to block a punt, even with their traditionally excellent special teams. After all, with all-world punt returner Devin Hester back catching kicks, why on God’s green earth would they do anything but design their returns to assist him?

But even Hester can give way sometimes.

The Bears and Titans were playing a game of hot potato, with the Bears punting twice and the Titans (one fumble, one punt and another one upcoming) doing no better eight minutes into their Week Nine game.

But that was about to change in an instant. A tsunami was coming — at least that’s what a blocked punt often looks and feels like — with a wave of defenders swarming in and ruining everything in its wake.

The Bears already had timed up Titans P Brett Kern’s get-off with his first kick earlier, and all week prior they had seen it on tape: He was slow to kick it.

On the right side, S Craig Steltz and DE Corey Wootton criss-crossed on a stunt, throwing off the Titans’ blocking scheme. The play was designed for either one of them to get closest to the punter on the six-man rush against eight Titans blockers.

"Most of the blocks are not off rushes," Bears assistant special-teams coach Kevin O'Dea said. "They’re off a six-box look, six rushers against eight protectors. Either they let their guard down or you try to get your guys out a little early into coverage, and one guy can get beat. Then you’re in. That's when you can do some damage."

Titans LB Tim Shaw, the left guard on the play and one of the league’s better special-teamers, did his best under the circumstances. He first got a hand on Wootton, then one on Steltz, which was enough (barely) to slow them down.