💥 BREAKING NEWS: The viral Dallas Cowboys moment by an undrafted rookie is leaving fans shocked—here’s what everyone’s misunderstanding.QQ
The Dallas Cowboys’ 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 Cowboys’ 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 Cowboys’ 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 that’s probably going to be replayed in every film session in the nation this week — be it NFL, college, high school, or youth football — Clark struggles to stay upright as the Cowboys’ 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 Eagles’ 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: They’re arguing it didn’t turn into anything. And if Clark’s forced fumble didn’t translate to a score, then it meant nothing, they say.
And I get it. After all, the Cowboys’ offense took over inside Philly’s 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 Clark’s forced fumble led to biggest win probability swing of the day
According to RBSDM, the play made the Cowboys’ win probability jump from 41% to 72%. The 31% jump was the highest of the game for any team. But it’s 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 it’s late in the fourth quarter, and 2) It forced Philly’s 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 Dallas’ 27-yard line.
To illustrate the difference in situations, consider this. Before Clark forced the fumble, the Eagles’ win probably sat at 56%. When they took over at their own two following the Cowboys’ 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 Clark’s effort didn’t pay off is inaccurate, even though Dallas should’ve 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 WFA’s Ed Werder showed him the play postgame. Schottenheimer admitted he had heard about it but that he hadn’t seen it live.
