How improv saved Bears 2-pt try, and led to win originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After playing for 58 minutes and 59 seconds, Matt Nagy took a gamble to give the Bears a chance to win or lose on one play. Following a Jimmy Graham touchdown, the Bears pulled within one point of the Seahawks. But instead of kicking the point after and playing for overtime, Nagy opted to go for two and the win, and it paid off.
It was a remarkable throw and a remarkable catch. And according to Nick Foles it was all improvised.
“(The Seahawks) played it very well,” Foles said. “Very well. They actually played it perfectly, and the reason it worked is because Byrd played backyard football and knew that they covered it well. If he wouldn’t have done his thing, and just stopped and came back, we don’t win this game.”
The first read on the play was Darnell Mooney, but as Foles said, when Byrd saw the Seahawks covered he made his move. Once he made his move, all Byrd could do was hope Foles would see him.
“I was waiting for him,” Byrd said. “I think I was talking to myself at least for a couple of seconds. We locked eyes and he ended up throwing it and I just knew I had to go up and get it.”
That’s exactly what Byrd did. And when he came back down he had not only the ball, but the win, too.
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