Bills DB on Vikings' Justin Jefferson Epic Catch: 'Knock the Ball Down, Bro!'
For every great catch in NFL history, there is defensive fodder.
Welcome to being posterized, Cam Lewis.
For all of Rodney Harrison's Hall-of-Fame-worthy accomplishments, for example, some still best associate him with his failure to tear away the ball from David Tyree's helmet in the dying stages of Super Bowl XLII.
Lewis, the Bills' safety, can now commiserate. He will appear in highlight reels, big-play compilations, and perhaps even NFL marketing for years to come after Sunday, albeit for all the wrong reasons. The fourth-year defender appears in the same frame as Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson makes his epic one-hand catch. The receiver somehow yanked the ball away from Lewis' interception-seeking hands
The catch will likely become the defining image of the visiting Vikings' 33-30 overtime victory.
With many lauding the contest as the early favorite for game of the year, some analysts of both the professional and amateur variety have already been willing to include the catch among the greatest in NFL history.
Lewis held nothing back when asked about his futile effort to stop the catch, coming in to help defend a lofty seam from the arm of Kirk Cousins after the dangerous Jefferson broke by the corners. He immediately expressed regret for going for an interception when a simple knockdown would've not only ended Minnesota's trek but granted the Bills a chance to run out the clock.
“Knock the ball down, bro," Lewis said he told himself after the play. "I’m not a selfish player. I don’t try to be a selfish player. I’m always trying to put the team before me. I’ve just got to knock the ball down. It’s plain and simple."
Though the catch will likely be referred to as the defining moment of the Vikings' victory, that catch wound up yielding no points. Buffalo's defense recovered well enough to stop Minnesota an inch away from six points (preventing a Cousins punch-in) but an inexplicable Josh Allen fumble in the end zone led to an improbable lead with just under a minute remaining. Allen and the Bills (6-3) mustered a tying field goal from Tyler Bass before the Vikings sealed the deal in the extra session.
Again, had Lewis knocked the ball into Highmark Stadium's turf, it would have never made it to the one-inch line and into the arms of Eric Kendricks, the recipient of Allen's slip.
"Honestly, I thought it was over his head but I’ve just got to be more aware of the situation," Lewis said. "I've just got to know the situation. I knock the ball down we ... win. That’s all I can say about that.”
In defense of Lewis, making his first start of the season in place of the inactive Tre'Davious White, he was far from the only defender who had trouble stopping Jefferson on Sunday. The highlight-maker tallied 193 yards on 10 receptions, making several big plays as the Vikings (8-1) erased a 27-10 deficit in the second half.
In addition to scoring Minnesota's first touchdown of the afternoon, Jefferson had 88 yards on five receptions during the fourth quarter and overtime, setting up both Cousins' futile push and the game-winning field goal from Greg Joseph. Jefferson might've even had the Vikings' go-ahead score himself, but a touchdown reception with 59 seconds to go was labeled short of the six-point marker upon replay review.
Looking to atone for consecutive regular season losses, the Bills return to action on Sunday afternoon against the Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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