By Rob Maaddi
Blocked field goals. Botched holds. Bad snaps.
Wacky special teams contributed to wild finishes, upsets and more in Week 5.
NFL coaches always emphasize how it takes all three phases — offense, defense and special teams — to win games. That’s not a cliche. One big play can make all the difference. It happened across the league on Sunday.
Giants safety Isaiah Simmons blocked the potential tying field goal in the final minute and Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned it 60 yards for the clinching touchdown, helping underdog New York hold on for a 29-20 win at Seattle.
“I think this is my craziest play I ever made,” said Simmons, who leaped through a hole over a blocked lineman. “I think it’s just the fact that I jumped over.”
The 49ers benefited from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir returning a blocked field goal by Jordan Elliott for a 61-yard score. But San Francisco lost kicker Jake Moody to an ankle injury in the first half, and ended up having to go on fourth-and-23 from the 27 in the third quarter instead of letting punter Mitch Wishnowsky attempt a 45-yarder in a 24-23 loss to Arizona. Wishnowsky was good from 26 yards at the end of the second quarter.
“It (Moody’s injury) impacted it but the biggest thing was those turnovers,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said about an interception and fumble.
The Bengals blew three 10-point leads in the second half but still had a chance to defeat Baltimore in overtime when Evan McPherson lined up for a 53-yard attempt after Lamar Jackson lost a fumble. However, his kick sailed wide because holder Ryan Rehkow mishandled the snap.