Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
What if I told you that the Rams had a golden opportunity to score one touchdown in the Super Bowl. This shouldn’t be a high bar to set for a team that ranked second in the NFL in points per game (32.9) and total yards (421.1). But, it was. I can’t remember one ‘holy shit’ play from the Rams offense all game (full disclosure: I drank 13 beers during the game).
The Rams had by far their best opportunity of the night in the waning minutes of the third quarter. Jared Goff dropped back to pass at the Patriots 30-yard line and launched a bomb to Brandin Cooks, who has lost back-to-back Super Bowls with two different teams, in the back of the endzone.
Great play by Devin McCourty to stop catch by Brandin Cooks pic.twitter.com/JjCXeE3Ou1
— Lamar Jackson Playaction (@NoContxtNFL) February 4, 2019
What the camera angle didn’t show was just how wide open Cooks was and how long he was waiting for the ball to arrive.
NextGenStats points out that Jason McCourty was nearly 20 yards away from Cooks when Goff released the pass.
Per @NextGenStats Jason McCourty was 19.2 (!!!) yards away from Brandin Cooks when Jared Goff released this pass pic.twitter.com/krJDeZoNtV
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 5, 2019
Jason McCourty covered 19.5 yards in 2.4 seconds to get within 0.8 yards of Cooks at pass arrival (18.86 MPH top speed).
1. How did Jason McCourty save a potential Brandin Cooks TD?
Jason McCourty covered 19.5 yards in 2.4 seconds to get within 0.8 yards of Cooks at pass arrival (18.86 MPH top speed). McCourty was 19.2 yards away from Cooks when Goff released the ball.#GoPats | @McCourtyTwins pic.twitter.com/NuWWqwDPiJ
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 4, 2019
If that ball had arrived a split second earlier, the Rams would have scored a touchdown and took the lead late in the 3rd quarter, 7-3. Which in that game, seemed like a blowout, even with Tom Brady.
After the game, Cooks commented on the play to USA TODAY‘s Doug Farrar:
“It was just one of those plays. I kinda popped open on a busted coverage, and it was not something we expected. So, Jared saw it late, and I just have to go up [to catch it] earlier, I guess to give myself a better opportunity. The safety that was down, he thought he was a buzz safety (dropping the strong safety as an inside defender), and the cornerback dropping. So, it was just a busted coverage.”
Despite the missed opportunity, Cooks was by far the Rams most productive offensive weapon, hauling in eight catches for 120 yards.
Game of inches, my friends.
[h/t Total Pro Sports]