Michael Dickson's double-punt is one of the greatest plays in NFL history. Yes, really!
The greatest punt ever?
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Oh, I am dead serious. No snark here.
Michael Dickson pulled off a play no one had ever seen done in an NFL game on Thursday night: In the third quarter of the Seattle Seahawks’ eventual loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the punter had his initial kick blocked.
Somehow, he had the presence of mind to run after the ball, grab it — with one hand! — and PUNT IT AGAIN! THE DOUBLE PUNT LIVES!
It turned out to be legal, and NFL fans everywhere learned an important lesson, that you can punt it twice as long as the player is behind the line of scrimmage. You know who didn’t know that, either? Michael Dickson, who said so to the News Tribune after the loss.
So why is it among the all-time greats?
Because look at what Dickson did. He stuck with the play. He calculated in real-time what he could do and how it might affect the team — if it was illegal to kick it twice, a re-kick would result in a better outcome than if the blocked ball was downed. If it was legal? Well, the former Aussie Rules player tapped into his incredible skill set and turned it into a 68-yard punt.
Although this isn’t up there with, say, the Helmet Catch or Philly Special or the Immaculate Reception or Malcolm Butler’s Super Bowl INT, it deserves to be in the conversation with all-time great plays.
We don’t give punters enough respect, even the one who’s a punting god. Time to do it now.
Quick hits: Danica Patrick is running the Boston Marathon … What NFL games to watch in Week 5 … A straight steal of home! … and more.
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
— Michelle Martinelli spoke with Danica Patrick about how she trained for her first marathon, which she’ll in Boston on Monday.
— Charles McDonald ranked the Week 5 NFL schedule by watchability.
— Speaking of watchability! Mary Clarke ranked all 32 NHL teams by that metric.
— Randy Arozarena stole home in a playoff game!!