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NFL Gamechangers, Week 9

NFL Gamechangers, the column that brings you the biggest plays that you won’t see on the highlights. These are the plays and players that changed the outcome of the games this weekend, but really don’t get the fanfare or hype that they deserve given their key role in the outcome of the game. Of course touchdowns are important, but these are plays that help to set up those touchdowns and give a team momentum throughout the course of the day.

credit: Alex Irney Photopin CC

Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts (the Interception that wasn’t)
With a little under 3:00 left the Colts had the ball, 3rd and 4, on their own 26 yard line. The Colts were leading the game 23-20 and needed a first down to keep the clock running and end the game.  Andrew Luck had been on fire all day, as he had helped the Colts to convert 12/19 third down plays.  He set a rookie record for passing yards yesterday and he looked completely unstoppable on the day.   However on this play, the Dolphins got good pressure and Luck threw an ill-advised pass that was headed right for the hands of cornerback Sean Smith.  It looked like a sure interception.  The Dolphins would be getting the ball inside the Colts 35-yard line, needing just a field goal to tie, and with plenty of time on the clock to go for the game winning touchdown as well.  There was only one problem – Smith dropped what should have been an easy catch, saving Luck and the Colts, who would punt the ball away and pin the dolphins inside their own 20, and have their defense preserve the win.  You won’t see it on your highlight package, but you can bet that Sean Smith will be seeing this play in the Dolphins film study this week.

Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals (Matthew Willis Block)
One play you will see on the highlights is Trindon Holliday’s 105-yard kickoff return for a Touchdown that gave the Broncos a 16-3 lead (17-3 after the PAT) at the start of the second half.  It is almost impossible to have a great kickoff return though, without great blocking opening up holes for the returner, and this play was no different as the big beef for Denver opened a huge hole for Holliday.  I’d like to point out one particular block as a big play here. If you watched the play develop on an overhead view (one of the great angles CBS gave us during the game), you would see that as Holliday got to his own 45-yard line it looked like kicker Mike Nugent was going to have the chance to make a touchdown saving tackle.  He was in a really good position, and while he might be a kicker, how many times have we seen the kicker make this type of play over the years?  It was at this point that Matthew Willis of the Broncos had other ideas. He came from Nugent’s left and absolutely pancake-blocked him.  Seriously, he sent Nugent flying about three feet.  It was a devastating block that sprung Holliday past the last would-be tackler, and if not for the endzone, Trindon Holliday is probably still running right now.  Run Trindon, Run!

credit: Substitut

Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans (Whitney Mercilus causes the turnover)
This was a much closer game than the score indicated of that analysts expected and it was definitely not an easy win for the Texans.  With about five minutes left in the third quarter, the Texans were up 21-9 but the Bills were driving down the field trying to get back into the game.  They had taken the ball down to the Houston 24-yard line and were looking to cut into the Texans lead and make it a one-score game.  It was at this point that Houston’s defense would step up to seal the win.  Ryan Fitzpatrick dropped back to pass, but Texans rookie linebacker Whitney Mercilus got great pressure and chased Fitzpatrick out of the pocket.  Fitzpatrick tried to scramble for a first down but Mercilus could not be stopped.  He chased Fitz down from behind, tackled him and forced a fumble which the Texans recovered.  Turnovers kill teams every week and this big play essentially ended the Bills hopes of a comeback.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Giants (Justin Tuck Sack)
The Giants were leading 14-10 at half time and kicked off to start the 3rd quarter. Following a nice return by Chris Rainey, the Steelers were set up at the Giants 35-yard line.  On 3rd and 7 from the 32, Justin Tuck broke into the Pittsburgh backfield and sacked Ben Roethlisberger pushing the Steelers out of Field goal range.  This is the type of play that Tuck has been making for years, and was a huge sack given the position of the ball on the field, and that the Giants took a chance for 3 points away from the Steelers, and wasted the momentum they could have gotten from Rainey’s excellent return. In such a close game anytime you take away points it’s a huge play.  But……

Steelers turn on Defense and Special Teams:
In fourth quarter the Giants had the ball up 20-17. On a 3rd and 11 from the Giants own 34-yard line, Lawrence Timmons broke into the Giants backfield and sacked Eli for a loss of 11 yards.  The Giants were forced to punt from deep in their own territory and Emmanuel Sanders got a 63-yard punt return setting up the Steelers deep in Giants territory.  The Steelers would get stuffed on a fake FG.  But….. again……

On the ensuing possession the Steeler defense would do it again, putting more pressure on Eli and again forcing another 3 and out deep in Giants territory.  The Steelers got excellent field position (though not as good as the last time) after the Giants punt.  They marched down the field to the Isaac Redman game winning TD.  This is an example that just shows how great defense and pinning another team back on their heels can have a big effect on your offence, and help to set up points.

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to tune in to our show, NFL Sunday Blitz Package every Sunday night at 7:30 pm, on the blogtalkradio.com/lastwordradio. Also tune in to Beyond the Field on Mondays at 8pm as I’ll be joining their hosts Priest and St. Peter in running down NFL Game Changers.

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