Power Play Of The Week: Brad Smith's Crafty Touchdown

by Brian Galliford on Nov 28, 2011 9:01 AM EST in Sponsored Posts

Sometimes, bigger plays (made or left on the field) in a football game are overshadowed by single-down efforts that, even if made by the losing team, have people talking at the water cooler on a Monday morning. That is the case today with Brad Smith of the Buffalo Bills.

Though his play was hardly the story of the day - a certain fellow receiver stole the show, and in a negative way - Smith's game-tying touchdown grab against Antonio Cromartie of the New York Jets was one of the craftiest plays you'll ever see.

Trailing 21-14 late in the third quarter, Ryan Fitzpatrick went deep to Smith down the right sideline. As Fitzpatrick does, he under-threw the go route just a touch. Smith slowed up his route to break up a potential interception, and in doing so, punched the ball straight into the air. He then caught the tipped pass and squirmed into the end zone for a 36-yard score that tied the game.

Yes, Buffalo lost the game, but it's not often that you see a play made of the caliber of Smith's.

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Heads up play.

First fighting to break up a potential INT, then keeping concentration and making the catch.

Ron Paul 2012

by BuffaloBlueBlood on Nov 28, 2011 9:22 AM EST via mobile reply actions

I threw my wife off my lap and had to catch her before she hit the floor when I jumped up to celebrate that play.

"Nick Barnett is everywhere. He is behind you right now." - Munchausen

by RedStickBillsFan on Nov 28, 2011 9:22 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

It made up for dropping what I thought was a catchable ball early in the game where Fitz – you guessed it – underthrew a go route. I like Smith at WR.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Nov 28, 2011 9:37 AM EST reply actions

Smith came through this week in the slot and totally showed it on that play. I wonder if that will change one Naaman is back in the lineup?

by DynamicHero22 on Nov 28, 2011 9:41 AM EST reply actions

I went from...

Thats picked, to nice play Smith batting it away, to oh crap dont get picked again, wow what a catch, to holy crap hes going to score!!!!

Fitz = M(C)²
"Lets Go Buff! a! lo!"
I got a TROPPer in the car, uhh!!

by bflo on Nov 28, 2011 10:03 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Same here

That play encapsulated a whole dramatic sweep of bi-polar concerns and a very happy outcome. Wish we coulda done it again in the 4th!

by SFMoe on Nov 28, 2011 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

I couldn’t believe it either. Fell out of my chair.
First I screamed at the TV, “Fitz! WTF!”
And then I was just like, “Wow, Brad saved his bacon on that one.”

"There is not a loser in this room." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Nov 28, 2011 6:53 PM EST up reply actions

I didn’t think it was a bad pass….Smith had the matchup advantage the whole game. He should have brought in the jump ball in the first quarter that Fitz threw him…this TD more than made up for that one though.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Nov 28, 2011 10:57 PM EST up reply actions

Fitz's arm

Is it that he just can’t throw that far? I can not remember him ever over throwing a go route. It seems like every time we go deep it comes up short. Is this a timing issue or simply just an arm strength issue?

Never confuse movement with action.
~Ernest Hemingway

by NolaBillsFan on Nov 28, 2011 10:11 AM EST reply actions

He overthrew Spiller a few weeks ago, I believe. Spiller tripped up a little bit, but if he haadn’t it probably would have been a reach to pull it in.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Nov 28, 2011 10:25 AM EST up reply actions