A Passion for Sports

One of the things I enjoy about sports is the improbable becoming possible. There is no sport that is immune to the underdog factor and as that is why they say That is why we play the game.

One of the best platforms for seeing this is with AWS and Next Gen Stats.

Here is a link to Next Gen Stats

An Improbable Catch

I wanted to highlight a play from the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/highlights/play/type/seattle-seahawks/2019/week/playerId/2019100300/882.

• This play had a 6.3% chance of success (as provided by Next Gen Stats).
• The play started at the 13 yard line.

  Although formations are important I won’t go into detail here.

• The play starts out fine with good protection, but Russell Wilson has to wait for the crossing pattern between DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to unravel.
• As the play develops DK has no seperation from the DB (1.4 yds) and he gets double teamed, Luke Wilson has 4.1 yds of seperation, but probably not where Russell is looking.
• Further through the play every receiver is covered (2yds or less distance between defenders).
• Now the Rams pass rush has broken through and Russell has to scramble to the sidelines. Russell is only 2yds away from the pass rush when he throws the ball to Lockett.
• Lockett has only 1.2 yds of distance between him and the defender and when he catches the ball in the back of the corner of the endzone only 0.8 yds of seperation

This was perhaps one of the most improbable catches in Seahawks history and all of the stats brought to AWS and Next Gen Stats.