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Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Sun Nov 14 07:31pm EST

Play of the year: Jags win on a deflected, last-second Hail Mary

By Chris Chase

The NFL has its play of the year.

With two seconds left and the score tied in their game with the Houston Texans, the hometown Jacksonville Jaguars attempted a last-ditch prayer. Quarterback David Garrard(notes) dropped back in the pocket, avoided the rush, stepped up and heaved the ball 50 yards into the end zone.

And then: madness.



Defensive players are taught to knock the ball down on any long pass into the end zone, the theory being that the quicker the football gets to the ground, the lesser chance the receiving team comes up with it. Texans defensive back Glover Quin(notes) seemed to have that in mind when he swatted the ball, except instead of sending it straight to the ground like he was supposed to, he pushed it directly into the waiting hands of Jacksonville's Mike Thomas(notes). 

[Rewind: 230-pound player gets vertical during amazing TD play]

Gus Johnson of CBS was the play-by-play guy during the game and he's exactly the guy you want in the booth for a deflected, last-second, game-winning Hail Mary. On a play like that, it's impossible to replicate the euphoria going on inside the stadium across television airwaves. Johnson comes as close to doing so as anyone, though. His excitement was palpable. (My favorite part of his call was his "ha-HA!" at the 29-second mark. One second later, you can hear a small sound that sounds a lot like a single clap. In my head, that sound is Gus Johnson excitedly high-fiving his partner, Steve Tasker.)

It was the most improbable ending on a day filled with fantastic finishes. It will likely hold up as the greatest play during a memorable NFL season.

[Rewind: Football player hurdles defender for impressive TD run]

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