PITTSBURGH – Think of Troy Brown’s scoop and shuttle lateral as football’s version of Derek Jeter’s amazing flip that saved the Yankees against the A’s.
It was the same kind of star-studded, natural instinct play.
That play saved the Patriots yesterday as Brown’s scoop and flip to safety Antwan Harris resulted in a 49-yard gallop by Harris with what turned out to be the winning touchdown in the 24-17 victory over the Steelers.
With 9:11 to go in the third, Pittsburgh kicker Kris Brown’s 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive tackle Brandon Mitchell. Mitchell slapped the ball backwards and Brown, a superstar receiver who plays on all kinds of special teams, ran the ball down and picked it up all in one motion and then tossed to Harris when Brown was tackling him.
Bill Belichick leaves nothing to chance, and every Thursday the Pats practice that play. It’s one thing to practice, it’s another to pull it off. That takes a most special talent like Brown, who also caught over 100 passes this season and led all receivers with eight receptions yesterday.
Add to that his remarkable up-the-gut 55-yard punt return for a touchdown to ignite the Patriots, and you have the difference in the game.
“He’s our MVP,” said winning quarterback Drew Bledsoe.
He should also be the MVSTP – Most Valuable Special Teams Player.
That is where the 5-10, 190-pound Brown started, and he doesn’t forget his roots. There’s another re- ceiver from Marshall University named Randy Moss who gets all the attention, but Brown is an amazing player.
His touchdown was set up because the Steelers’ Troy Edwards had run out of bounds, negating the previous punt. “You don’t want any penalties on punt team and have to kick it again because you’re tired,” Brown said of the Steelers’ collapse on the play. “It was supposed to be a left return, but the guys overplayed it to the outside and I saw the seam up the middle and just hit it.
“The Steelers didn’t respect us at all,” said Brown, who was sidelined with an injury in the Pats’ Super Bowl loss in 1997. He’s ready this time and he knows his teammates are depending on him against the Super-charged Rams. To a man, the Pats said Brown is their MVP.
“I always say whatever my teammates think about me is the most important thing,” Brown noted. “I don’t care what anybody else says outside of our locker room. Everybody on this team is an MVP because people have been stepping up all year when we needed it.”
