The Ravens' Dashing Figurs

Rookie Bursts Onto Scene as Kick Returner

OWINGS MILLS, Md., Sept. 27 -- Yamon Figurs has played in exactly two regular season games for the Baltimore Ravens, but Mark Clayton already has seen enough from the rookie kick returner to make a bold prediction to two of his friends who play for the Chicago Bears, wide receiver Mark Bradley and defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

"I called my boys up in Chicago and told them to tell Hester to watch out, because Yamon might break his record," Clayton said with a smile.

Hester is Devin Hester, the electrifying returner for the Bears who set an NFL record with five kick return touchdowns (three punt and two kickoff) as a rookie last season. Figurs has a ways to go to match the Chicago Pro Bowler, but his first two games have certainly shown some promise.

Figurs (19 yards) leads the AFC and is second only to Hester (20.6 yards) in the NFL in punt return average, and he is tops in the league in kickoff return average (38.3 yards). In his debut against the New York Jets, he returned his first kickoff 61 yards to set up a Matt Stover field goal. On Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, he returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown in a 26-23 win and was named AFC special teams player of the week.

"You can't ever relax, but it feels good to get that one out of the way," Figurs said of his first touchdown and the Ravens' second punt return touchdown of the season (safety Ed Reed has the other).

On that touchdown return, Figurs displayed the explosiveness and speed that intrigued the Ravens, who made him a third-round (74th overall) pick in the draft. He started to his left after fielding the ball, then cut back to the middle and weaved through several Cardinals before exploding down the left sideline to the end zone.

Figurs, who slipped past four would-be tacklers, credited his blockers -- particularly Devard Darling and Reed -- with creating the touchdown. But Figurs's speed -- he actually beat Hester when they raced as high school track stars in Florida, and was later timed at 4.29 in the 40 at Kansas State -- also played a role. Clayton said that the most impressive thing about the return was the way that Figurs managed to weave in and out of traffic and then outrun the pursuing Cardinals, who had the angles on Figurs.

"If your boys get the blocks, you're going to be responsible for some of the guys because some of the guys are going to come free, and that's the part where Yamon's ability kicks in," said Clayton, who has returned punts during his career. "Aside from everybody getting their blocks and doing good, Yamon has the ability to not only make one miss but outrun two or three guys."

This was supposed to be a learning year for Figurs; veteran B.J. Sams was expected to handle the returning duties, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener. The main question the Ravens had about Figurs was his hands, and he has spent extra time fielding punts after practice. In the week leading up to the Jets game, Coach Brian Billick even quizzed him, asking him to name the difference between catching balls at Kansas State and in the NFL (Figurs's answer: "Nothing").

Special teams ace Gary Stills, who blocked for returner Dante Hall in Kansas City, said that Hall is quicker than Figurs, but that Figurs is faster than Hall, who has 11 career return touchdowns. That speed obviously interested the Ravens. But special teams coordinator Frank Gansz Jr. saw two other things in Figurs that he liked: His personality -- Figurs has a broad smile and a positive disposition, which Gansz thinks is necessary to help weather the ebb and flow of a season -- and his performances in big games.

Figurs scored the Wildcats' only touchdown in their 37-10 loss to Rutgers in the Texas Bowl, a 76-yard punt return in the second quarter. He had a career day in Kansas State's 45-42 upset of then-No. 4 Texas, setting up a touchdown with a 52-yard punt return and catching six passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

"Every game in this league is a big game. We've got Texas every week," Gansz said. "If they can do those things in the big games -- make the big plays in big games -- then they've done it and there is that degree of accomplishment."

Ravens Notes: Clayton (calf), linebacker Ray Lewis (ankle) and wide receiver Demetrius Williams (heel) were limited in practice for the second straight day, but are expected to play on Sunday in Cleveland. Browns tight end Kellen Winslow missed his second straight day of practice because of a partially dislocated left shoulder.