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By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Professional Soccer Author
It was through the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ resurgence beneath Brett Favre and Reggie White that the late defensive guru Fritz Shurmur dropped considered one of his most enduring maxims.
Rising bored with all of the nitpicking over a closer-than-expected victory, Shurmur interrupted the interrogation at Lambeau Area to exclaim, “I’d hate to assume we’ve gotten to the purpose the place we’re judging the standard of wins round right here now.”
Nick Chubb was a toddler again then, but it surely’s some extent that’s simply as pertinent now for a perennially downtrodden franchise because it was then for a resurgent one driving the wave of Tremendous Bowl success.
A win is a win; let Las Vegas fear concerning the margin of victory.
Particularly at a time when the NFL is betting large on the once-taboo playing business, and “Did we win?” has just about given solution to “Did we cowl?”
Chubb’s determination to forgo a positive landing and veer out of bounds on the 1-yard line with no defender shut by so the Cleveland Browns (6-3) may salt away their rain-drenched 10-7 win over the Houston Texans drew a lot debate as a result of it had such large implications for bettors.
The Browns had been a 4½-point favourite. So, no, they didn’t cowl.
Chubb acknowledged it wasn’t straightforward to cross up a landing, saying, “That’s the pure intuition, to get into the tip zone.”
However within the second, he wasn’t frightened about private stats or level spreads or fantasy factors. He simply heeded the directions of coach Kevin Stefanski to offer himself up if he bought the primary down so the Browns may run out the clock on the Texans, who had no timeouts left.
Chubb took a pitch from Baker Mayfield on third-and-Three with 1:07 remaining and bounced outdoors, reeling off a 59-yard run down the left sideline earlier than veering sharply out of bounds simply shy of the aim line.
“I ought to have simply slid to maintain the clock working or taken a knee, but it surely was a split-second determination,” Chubb mentioned.
Stefanski mentioned he wouldn’t have been upset had Chubb scored there to place the Browns forward by two scores with lower than a minute left, however he appreciated his working again heeding his directions, the code for which was “No Mas.”
It is now probably the most infamous “No Mas” because the notorious prize combat between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980.
Among the many different notable calls in Week 10 had been two in Detroit, the place former NFL star cornerback Aqib Talib made his broadcast sales space debut two months after his retirement from the sport, serving as coloration commentator for Washington’s recreation towards the Lions.
Talib wasn’t polished however he wasn’t button-down, both, bringing the identical vitality and enthusiasm that all the time made his interviews so entertaining to a recreation that featured a wild ending and an officiating blunder.
When Alex Smith, who set profession highs with 33 completions in 55 makes an attempt for 390 yards, drove Washington to a tying discipline aim within the closing seconds, Talib instructed play-by-play announcer Dan Hellis, “An additional time recreation for my first time within the sales space! How ‘bout that, Dan?’”
Talib ought to have identified higher — he performed with Lions kicker Matt Prater in Denver throughout coaching camp in 2014.
After a touchback, the Lions began their last drive at their 25 with 16 seconds and three timeouts left.
Matt Stafford hit Quintez Cephus for a 10-yard achieve, and because the rookie receiver fought for extra yards, the clock ran down right down to 9 seconds on the tv broadcast earlier than the Lions known as their first timeout.
It appeared there have been really 10 seconds left when down choose Dana McKenzie blew his whistle and raised his left hand.
Throughout the timeout, referee Alex Kemp instructed the clock operator to place 10 seconds on the clock, then rapidly corrected himself to say 12 seconds.
The subsequent play, a deep incompletion to Cephus, drained six seconds, however a roughing-the-passer penalty on Chase Younger put the ball on the 50-yard line.
There really ought to have been solely four seconds left, which in all probability would have compelled a Hail Mary by Stafford.
However with 6 seconds left, Stafford had time for a fast cross, and he hit Marvin Jones for 9 yards. The Lions known as a timeout with Three seconds remaining and Prater got here in and nailed a 59-yard discipline aim as time expired for a 30-27 win.
“What a leg!” Talib exclaimed. “Nice, entertaining recreation. I couldn’t ask for a greater recreation.”
With contributions from AP Sports activities Writers Tom Withers and Noah Trister.
Comply with Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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