Bert Faibish
Ticats.ca
Anatomy Of A Play: Thigpen’s 22-Yard Return
As Montreal’s cover team hustles down-field, the players on the outside adjust their pursuit lanes to make up for Thigpen’s initial fake to the inside. Thigpen then cuts back to the right and begins making for the sideline.
After making the first would-be tackler miss, Thigpen uses his acceleration to continue on by the next one. Ticats LB Markeith Knowlton makes an excellent decision not to block the Montreal player with his back to him, keeping the refs from throwing a flag and negating Thigpen’s entire return.
Thigpen uses a sweet spin move to get away from the next tackler, just escaping his outstretched arms and leaving him grasping at air.
Another smart “non-block” by ticats defensive back Geoff Tisdale, Thigpen freezes Montreal’s gunner by pausing just for a moment, making his pursuer think that he’s going to change direction.
Instead of changing direction, Thigpen quickly turns on the jets and accelerates to the outside, gaining the sideline.
His quickness allows him to reach his top speed almost right away and accelerate away from one last would-be tackler.
Unfortunately because of all the time he used avoiding defenders and getting to the sideline, the other side of Montreal’s cover team had time to race the width of the field and force Thigpen out of bounds.
Even though he didn’t score on this play, it’s just another example of Marcus Thigpen’s ability to alter field position. Instead of being pinned behind their own 20-yard line, the Ticats were able to beginthe drive around midfield. Thigpen’s ability to be a game changer continues to make him a threat every single time he touches the ball.
