Wilhoite's Smart Play on the End Zone Fumble!

ivotuk · Dec 5, 2017

He didn't try to fall on it as it may have squirted out, instead, wisely he turned around, and blocked the Eagle's player from getting to it, letting it roll out of bounds. THEN he fell on it

"This ball's mine! I'm taking it home!"

Remember all the screaming about KJ batting a ball out of the End Zone?

Also, if you listen to Sheldon's interview on DD&M yesterday, don't let the way he talks fool you, he's a smart dude!

adeltaY · Dec 5, 2017

Yeah, good on Wilhoite for blocking Torrey Smith from recovering the ball and not committing a foul like KJ did. You know they weren't gonna miss throwing a flag if he tapped it out this time.

mikeak · Dec 5, 2017

Yeah that is good and all but the best play is definitely falling on it and "accidently" have it go out of bounds without batting on it.......

Blocking one guy does nothing to other players that you may not have accounted for

I personally wasn't sure he located the football so was blocking while trying to figure out where the football was - which is also a smart heads-up approach

HuskyHawk · Dec 5, 2017

Anyone know what would have happened if Wilhoite had just fallen on the ball inbounds? I've always heard the rule is that the offensive player fumbled the ball before crossing the plane of the endzone and the ball went out of bounds. It seemed to me that Wilhoite saw the ball and thought not to fall on it, instead to block the offensive player from getting to it. I'm wondering if there is a reason he would have done that.

sdog1981 · Dec 5, 2017

HuskyHawk":3aw9hxpa said:
Anyone know what would have happened if Wilhoite had just fallen on the ball inbounds? I've always heard the rule is that the offensive player fumbled the ball before crossing the plane of the endzone and the ball went out of bounds. It seemed to me that Wilhoite saw the ball and thought not to fall on it, instead to block the offensive player from getting to it. I'm wondering if there is a reason he would have done that.

That would also have been a touchback. There were only two real possibilities from that play a touchdown or a touchback.

sutz · Dec 5, 2017

sdog1981":2xgjdc24 said:
HuskyHawk":2xgjdc24 said:

Anyone know what would have happened if Wilhoite had just fallen on the ball inbounds? I've always heard the rule is that the offensive player fumbled the ball before crossing the plane of the endzone and the ball went out of bounds. It seemed to me that Wilhoite saw the ball and thought not to fall on it, instead to block the offensive player from getting to it. I'm wondering if there is a reason he would have done that.

Click to expand...

That would also have been a touchback. There were only two real possibilities from that play a touchdown or a touchback.

Actually there is a 3rd option, and it ain't pretty. If you bat the ball out of bounds intentionally, the offense gets the ball back. That's why he was smart not to jump on it, if he knocks it out of bounds and the ref thinks it was intentional they could make that call. Not to mention the risk of the ball squirting out and being grabbed by an offensive player.

kobebryant · Dec 5, 2017

Very, very smart. Avoided the possibility for an illegal touch call and kept the Eagles from recovering.

Year of The Hawk · Dec 5, 2017

How many plays have we had at the goal line like this? IMHO it is not luck but the way our defense attacks the ball and creates the opportunities. I would like to see a stat on this but probably not on out there.

BChawkfan · Dec 5, 2017

That is exactly what I said when I saw the play live. It was a smart move on his part.
I would also add the whole team played very focused that game...

pittpnthrs · Dec 5, 2017

I don't think he had any idea where the ball was. Great play though.

RichNhansom · Dec 5, 2017

pittpnthrs":8ij5h2e6 said:
I don't think he had any idea where the ball was. Great play though.

I kind of agree.

Initially it looked like the ball would easily go out the back of the endzone and he chose to make that happen by blocking out the nearest and only threat to prevent it. After the block he checked to verify it did roll out and when he seen it hadn't and the ball was moving at a less aggressive pace, he made a move to recover it. Fortunately it worked out.

I think there is a definite element of coaching in that play. As well as heads up football both having awareness of the play unfolding and what the coaches have preached.

Overall I think it is hard to not look at the play and the player and not be impressed.

scutterhawk · Dec 5, 2017

mikeak":3kn9w06i said:
Yeah that is good and all but the best play is definitely falling on it and "accidently" have it go out of bounds without batting on it.......

Blocking one guy does nothing to other players that you may not have accounted for

I personally wasn't sure he located the football so was blocking while trying to figure out where the football was - which is also a smart heads-up approach

Which proves that the Football Gods are Seahawks Fans MUWAHAAHAA!! :stirthepot:

sutz · Dec 5, 2017

RichNhansom":ce0912ea said:
pittpnthrs":ce0912ea said:

I don't think he had any idea where the ball was. Great play though.

Click to expand...

I kind of agree.

Initially it looked like the ball would easily go out the back of the endzone and he chose to make that happen by blocking out the nearest and only threat to prevent it. After the block he checked to verify it did roll out and when he seen it hadn't and the ball was moving at a less aggressive pace, he made a move to recover it. Fortunately it worked out.

I think there is a definite element of coaching in that play. As well as heads up football both having awareness of the play unfolding and what the coaches have preached.

Overall I think it is hard to not look at the play and the player and not be impressed.

Not sure if you give credit to "coaching" as IIRC this very situation happened to the Seahawks recently (maybe last season) and they screwed it up.

original poster · Dec 6, 2017

He reacted incredibly quickly, I remember being very impressed in real time. Great veteran play!

drcool · Dec 6, 2017

Year of The Hawk":1d0wsl7z said:
How many plays have we had at the goal line like this? IMHO it is not luck but the way our defense attacks the ball and creates the opportunities. I would like to see a stat on this but probably not on out there.

I love all the fumbles we cause at the goal line. Honestly if we just tackle a guy at the one yard line chances are they are punching the ball in the next play. So rather than go for the tackle I would rather have them go hard for the ball.

SoulfishHawk · Dec 7, 2017

It's always interesting when outsiders call those "lucky plays"
But what other team in the league has done this numerous times? I doubt any team has done it as often as the Hawks from the 1 yard line in.

FidelisHawk · Dec 7, 2017

mikeak":3cx82r1i said:
Yeah that is good and all but the best play is definitely falling on it and "accidently" have it go out of bounds without batting on it.......

Blocking one guy does nothing to other players that you may not have accounted for

I personally wasn't sure he located the football so was blocking while trying to figure out where the football was - which is also a smart heads-up approach

This was my thought as well, he located the ball after he hit the offensive player, either way it was a very heads up play being executed with split second timing.
:2thumbs:

Our Man in Chicago · Dec 7, 2017

We also had a most favorable bounce; had the ball traveled to the sideline instead of the goal post, we might be talking about a loss. Either way, Wilhoite's play was key for timing.

SoulfishHawk · Dec 7, 2017

I don't consider that a lucky play at all, Richardson made a huge heads up play. They earned that.

Our Man in Chicago · Dec 7, 2017

The fumble was all skill on our part. The ensuing bounce was luck, but was aided by a heads-up block.

Had the ball bounced into Smith's hands, I wager we'd be asking why Wilhoite didn't attempt a catch in the air instead of going for the block.

It's worth another look from the endzone cam.

Wilhoite's Smart Play on the End Zone Fumble!

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