Jaylon Smith Shows SPEED on Defense!

The Dallas Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today, 27-20.  For this week's appearance on TuneIn's 1st & Goal Check Down segment, I got to analyze a defensive play.  Late in the 1st quarter, the Bucs had 3rd & 5 on the Cowboys 34-yard line.  Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston (#3) was lined up in the shotgun (click on image for a larger view).

In the above screen capture, I circled two defensive players for Dallas:  linebacker Jaylon Smith (#54) and defensive end Randy Gregory (#94).  Seeing #94 on the right end gave me flashbacks to seeing the great Charles Haley in that position a quarter century ago.  Gregory channeled some Charles Haley on this play!

After the snap, Gregory was looping around, trying to get to Winston.  Bucs tackle Donovan Smith (#76) pushed Gregory almost to the Dallas 45-yard line, which you can see below (click on image for a larger view).

You can Donovan Smith and Gregory on the far right of the action.  Jaylon Smith is still eyeing the play at the Dallas 30-yard line.  After nearly 4.5 seconds since the snap, Gregory caught Winston on the Dallas 37-yard line (click on image for a larger view).

When I watched the replay, Winston looked stunned that he got caught from behind.  Given the space in front of him, Winston would have been better off running for the first down.  Gregory knocked the ball out with his right hand    Check out Winston's surprised face in the screen capture below (click on image for a larger view).

As Gregory was tackling Winston, check out Gregory's left hand on the ball, which got pushed in the direction needed for what came next (click on image for a larger view).

After three fortuitous bounces of that delightful near prolate spheroid, Jaylon Smith scooped up the ball between the Dallas 30- and 31-yard lines (click on image for a larger view).

It was now off to the races for the former high-school track star.  The left sideline became his track lane.  Check out Smith hitting 20.4 mph on the left sideline (click on image for a larger view).

The Bucs couldn't catch Smith.  He scored about 8.6 seconds after he scooped up the ball (click on image for a larger view).

Jaylon Smith got most of the glory with his great return.  But the play doesn't happen if not for Randy Gregory running about 25 yards around the back of the Bucs line to catch Winston, and then nudge the ball in the direction that proved perfect for Smith.

In a game decided by a touchdown, the Cowboys sure needed that play from Gregory and Smith!  Chuck Nice of Playing with Science joined me on the show today.  Click here for the audio.