[ad_1]
Earlier this season, the Carolina Panthers 'special teams unit spent the day in the sun: it was presented to the public before scoring a touchdown and a 63-yard winning goal in the fifth week against the Giants' New York. In the ninth week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the special teamers, a group that includes the linebacker Ben Jacobs, were not in the lead role in any way. But again, they had an impact on the outcome of the match.
After the middle of the second quarter and three touchdowns, the Buccaneers have used desperate measures to stay in the game. The fourth and nine at their own 26-yard line, punter Bryan Anger received the snap, and suddenly sought to throw tight end Alan Cross.
"We felt like we had not had any turnovers, we had to try to steal the possession," explained the Buccaneers head coach. Dirk Koetter after the game
The Buccaneers' decision to try to trick the Panthers into fourth place in their own territory was, to put it simply, a bold strategy. However, they had not counted on a loss of protection that would have allowed Jacobs, one of the Panthers veterans, to enter the backfield, to put a lot of pressure on Anger and to force him to throw himself astray.
"I knew I had to keep hurrying and trust the guys behind me,Jacobs said of the play, as reported by Bill Voth of the Panthers.
The guys behind him in question were David Mayo, Colin Jones, and Curtis Samuel. Mayo managed to get his hands on Anger, and Jones and Samuel converged on Cross to make sure of the unfinished and put a turnover on the ground, which allowed the fifth touchdown of the day to the Panthers extend their lead to 35-7.
Speaking of the game after the game, the head coach of the Panthers Ron Rivera coordinator of the credited special teams Chase Blackburn making sure that the special team had their eyes on the bettor and were ready for anything.
"The bettor is following his moves and he's obviously not playing the ball, these guys have to find out what's going on, they were able to do it," Rivera said. "I thought our gunner, Curtis Samuel, was very aware, when the guy tried to reduce the gap with the ball, Curtis was in the area, and again, it shows what Chase is doing when they work with our guys and that they talk about these things. "
As for Koetter, he had no choice but to acknowledge the collapse of protection and accept responsibility for a game that made him completely ridiculous, as well as his unity.
"You'll look very smart, or you'll look silly if it does not work," said Koetter. "Then it's on me."
The successful breakout of the Bucs' kickoff extends this amazing first year for the special teams under Blackburn, who won two Super Bowls as a linebacker to the New York Giants before ending his playing career with the Panthers. In addition to their more spectacular games like the break in Sunday's pass or their touchdown on a deflated punt against the Giants, the special teams unit offered an excellent offensive and defensive stance on the pitch, and was also regular like a clock on his placement unit. .
[ad_2]
Source link