Being on special teams in the NFL is a tough, tough gig.
You have to either run full speed to tackle someone or run full speed to block someone. It is all about pain and taking your lumps. In the case of the New Orleans Saints, their punt return team got all of the pain out of the way in one fell swoop.
During the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons, De’vante Harris was trying to block for his returner Tommylee Lewis when he lost track of where he was on the field, leading to a very painful-looking collision.
He ran into his own guy!?!
This muffed punt set up the @AtlantaFalcons' first TD. 🤔 #ATLvsNO https://t.co/7Sr4EtUbn3
— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2016
The oddest part may be the recovery portion of the play, where they try to get up and make sure they have the ball. At first glance it doesn’t even look like the ball hits either of them. The reaction indicates that one of them felt that the ball could have been up for grabs.
The fumble would lead to the first score of the game for the Falcons but wasn’t the deciding score in a 45-32 beating of the now 0-3 Saints.
This wasn’t the only odd play of the evening as Falcons RB Devonta Freeman made Saints defender Jairus Byrd look silly on a running play.
https://vine.co/v/5raaB0n7zjl
Falcons QB Matt Ryan also realized that he didn’t want to get his butt kicked by Nick Fairley and decided against blocking the big fella.
Business decision from Matt Ryan: https://t.co/vtYs8cYAo4 pic.twitter.com/QbqqKY6OE6
— SB Nation (@SBNation) September 27, 2016
Just one of those nights, everybody. Good thing everyone was watching the debate instead.
[FTW]
