Facing a 3rd and 9 from the Arizona 14 yard line with 6:37 left in the ballgame and nursing a 15-13 lead, the Indianapolis Colts needed quarterback Carson Wentz to make a play to at least move the chains.
Failing to convert the third down and even putting the decision to settle for a field goal or go for it on fourth down into the hands of head coach Frank Reich — who had called a masterful game to that point — would have been unfair, especially in a game in which the Colts, missing eight starters due to COVID protocols and in-game injuries, had played their hearts out and deserved nothing less than a win.
Wentz had no thought of settling for a field goal and making it a 5-point game. Instead, according to Reich, the franchise quarterback approached the head coach and offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, suggesting a route for second-year and little-used receiver Dezmon Patmon.
In the end, the suggestion proved to be the difference as Patmon hauled in a spectacular 14-yard touchdown along the back-end line on an absolute dime from Wentz, giving the Colts a 22-13 lead before holding on for a 22-16 win.
“It was a great play by him, great play by ‘Dez’ (Patmon)," Reich said, according to video via Colts.com. "It was an adjustment that we made on that play. We actually, on that play, it was a suggestion by Carson, I believe it was by Carson, to put ‘Dez’ on the route that he was on because we had originally all week long practiced it with him doing something else. At the last minute Carson said, ‘Hey, how about we do this with him.’ It was yesterday [Friday] or today [Saturday], I can’t remember when it was, but it was a last-second suggestion by him that Marcus (Brady), and I liked it. We were like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ Obviously, come up with the big play.”
The subtle change in the route designation for Patmon proved to be the difference as the young receiver did a great job extending his route along the back-end line on the crossing route, showing Wentz his numbers and utilizing great body control to get both feet down and hold onto the football for the pivotal score.
Getting points in that situation was pivotal, considering how short-handed the Colts were. A touchdown did wonders though, thanks to Wentz's suggestion and Patmon's play.
“We just knew how we had to go score. We had to go score," Wentz said, according to video via Colts.com. "It’s a good offense over there and our defense played lights out to hold them to only 16 points, but we knew we had to go score. We knew we had to go get it and convert some of those. And the way we picked up a couple of those big plays, receivers stepping up. ‘Dez,’ I’m pumped for him making a big play like that late it the game. That was huge. It was fun.”
It certainly was a fun play for all parties involved for the Colts as the throw was perfect, the catch was even better, and the win was the cherry on top on a special Christmas Day for the Colts' franchise.
Knowing that Wentz was going to need to win a game or two for the Colts down the stretch, it's nice to see the veteran quarterback answer those looming questions in such convincing fashion in front of a national audience.
Have thoughts on the adjustment between Carson Wentz and Dezmon Patmon that led to the game-sealing score? Drop a line in the comments section below letting us know how you feel!
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