The Panthers defense had been fooled before.
Last season, during the second quarter of their 33-31 win over the New York Giants, Eli Manning took a quick step and whipped a backwards pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., who promptly squared up and threw it over the top of the defense to a streaking Saquon Barkley for a 57-yard touchdown.
So Sunday afternoon in Houston, when Deshaun Watson took a quick step and whipped a backwards pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Panthers defense – specifically, cornerback Ross Cockrell – weren’t fooled.
“We knew that [Hopkins] threw a pass and we know that [Kenny Stills] has thrown passes before, so we knew the receivers that could throw the ball,” said Cockrell, who was subbing for an ailing Donte Jackson. “My receiver didn’t do what he normally does on screens, which is block – he ran a route. So I kind of just hung back.”
“And then I thought about the Saquon play from last year.”
DID. YOU. SEE. THAT!?! @OBJ to @SAQUON #NYGvsCAR pic.twitter.com/iHVJwwPCTW
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 7, 2018
This just happened.
Ross Cockrell intercepts DeAndre Hopkins 👀#KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/H8yHvAvRBY
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 29, 2019
Rivera showed and talked about the wide receiver pass with the defense – which currently leads the league, allowing only 156.8 passing yards per game – this week and this time, instead of being fooled and running to the ball, the defense stayed home and played it perfectly.
“Because the backside stayed disciplined, they didn’t squeeze, didn’t get into the wrong pursuit – Ross was where he needed to be and he saw the guy leaking out of the backfield so he was able to roll with him,” said Rivera.
“That’s how you’re supposed to play it.”
Cockrell played it perfectly – but Eric Reid, who had a monster day with six tackles, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery even after injuring his left ankle – admitted that even he was fooled.
“I thought ‘Oh, crap’ – because Carlos [Hyde] was my guy,” said Reid. “They had some misdirection, I saw the screen and I was pursuing the ball but I had the flat in that coverage so when I turned around and saw Carlos running up the sideline, I was like ‘NOT GOOD.'”
“But Ross made an amazing play, he came off of his receiver because he saw the ball in the air – we needed that.”
“I threw it to Hop and I peeked and the corner didn’t move,” said Texans QB Deshaun Watson. “At that time, I tried to wave my hand, but Hop was looking over there and didn’t see me. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. That’s what we did in that situation.”
“Give them credit for staying disciplined and not running with it.”
The Texans would only return to the Panthers’ side of the field once after that interception before their final drive – the result of a JJ Watt strip-sack that ultimately resulted in their only touchdown of the day. They knew how important it was to put up points in a game where offense was tough sledding for the most part for both teams; the Texans came into the game averaging over 275 yards passing per game and only managed 128 against the Panthers – Watson recorded 160 passing yards, the fifth-fewest of his career.
But ultimately, the interception turned the momentum – the Texans appeared to be on the doorstep of having points on the board and the Panthers scored their only touchdown of the game on the possession that followed Cockrell’s pick.
Even Bill O’Brien admitted he may have made a mistake.
“Bad play call,” said the Texans head coach. “Bad play call.”
