Atlanta Falcons defensive again Natron Brooks virtually scored a landing on particular groups after the Dallas Cowboys tried a pretend punt inside their very own 40-yard-line. He exploited an obscure NFL rule to utterly blow up the horrible try at a trick play.
Cross interference doesn’t exist on pretend punts!
Mike McCarthy, who already smashed his pill after a failed fourth-down conversion earlier within the recreation, determined to go for it once more on the primary offensive drive of the third quarter. Punter Bryan Anger lined up at his personal 24-yard-line, took the snap and instantly threw over to his proper.
Defensive again C.J. Goodwin, break up out as a gunner, was the meant goal— however the ball by no means bought there. Brooks threw Goodwin to the bottom and stepped in entrance of the throw. It hit him within the fingers!
#dallascowboys pretend punt goes very fallacious… pic.twitter.com/ctN6lArCGt
— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) November 3, 2024
What ought to’ve been a pick-six the opposite manner fell to the turf as an incomplete go for a turnover on downs. Atlanta scored its third landing of the sport shortly thereafter.
The play name was horrible. McCarthy despatched out his punter to go on fourth down in Dallas territory as an alternative of his $240 million quarterback. That was a horrible thought.
To make it even worse, he had Anger throw to the skin.
A lesser-known rule within the NFL makes {that a} very unhealthy thought. When a group is in punt formation and makes an attempt a pretend, go interference can’t be referred to as on the widest man on both aspect of the formation.
On this particular occasion, Goodwin was the widest man on the fitting aspect of the formation. That left him utterly uncovered. Brooks might’ve, fairly actually, wrapped him up across the waist and tackled him to the bottom as if he was a ball-carrier within the open area with out being referred to as for a penalty.
And, to some prolong, he did!
Brooks grabbed Godwin and wrestled him down as quickly as Anger went to go. It was utterly authorized.
