đ„ BREAKING NEWS: The viral Dallas Cowboys moment by an undrafted rookie is leaving fans shockedâhereâs what everyoneâs misunderstanding.QQ
The Dallas Cowboysâ rookie is going viral among football fans after win over Eagles.EST
Despite going undrafted, it was clear rookie safety Alijah Clark was a favorite for the Dallas Cowboysâ scouting department. In the spring, the front office made him the highest-paid undrafted free agent on the team.
And while he was already making an impact on the team, he had his signature moment of Year 1 during the Cowboysâ win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only did he force a fumble on punt coverage, but he went viral for his relentless effort and hustle moments before making the tackle.
The Cowboys won on Sunday because of the secret weapon…The Cowboys won on Sunday because of the secret weapon…
Read More
On a play thatâs probably going to be replayed in every film session in the nation this week â be it NFL, college, high school, or youth football â Clark struggles to stay upright as the Cowboysâ gunner, gets shoved into the ground, yet he springs himself up and keeps running at the football. The result? A big-time hit that forces a fumble, which long snapper Trent Sieg recovers at the Eaglesâ eight-yard line.
The play looks like a scene out of a Disney movie, and the fact that Clark is an undrafted rookie makes it all the more dramatic.
Some people, however, are getting something wrong about the humongous play: Theyâre arguing it didnât turn into anything. And if Clarkâs forced fumble didnât translate to a score, then it meant nothing, they say.
And I get it. After all, the Cowboysâ offense took over inside Phillyâs ten and failed to come up with any points. That was far and away one of the most disappointing moments of the day. They went for it on fourth down and returned the football right back to the Eagles. However, the play still mattered a lot. And it was one of the biggest reasons why Dallas won.
Alijah Clarkâs forced fumble led to biggest win probability swing of the day
According to RBSDM, the play made the Cowboysâ win probability jump from 41% to 72%. The 31% jump was the highest of the game for any team. But itâs about more than just the numbers. It mattered even after the offense turned it over on downs for two reasons: 1) Dallas took 1:31 off the clock, which matters when itâs late in the fourth quarter, and 2) It forced Phillyâs offense to start its drive at its own two-yard line.
This allowed the Cowboys defense to stop the Eagles yet again to set up a game-winning drive from Dallasâ 27-yard line.
To illustrate the difference in situations, consider this. Before Clark forced the fumble, the Eaglesâ win probably sat at 56%. When they took over at their own two following the Cowboysâ turnover on downs, it stood at only 52%. These might look like small changes, but it goes a long way in showing how field position and the clock are huge factors on gameday. To say Clarkâs effort didnât pay off is inaccurate, even though Dallas shouldâve translated into points and what could have been the dagger of the game.
As for Clark, he got a game ball from head coach Brian Schottenheimer after WFAâs Ed Werder showed him the play postgame. Schottenheimer admitted he had heard about it but that he hadnât seen it live.
