Anthony Nelson's huge moment in Bucs' win over Panthers was overshadowed by a much bigger delivery
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a big play from their defense in overtime tied at 23 with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday evening. And OLB Anthony Nelson was happy to deliver one. The veteran linebacker reached out and ripped the ball away from Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard with the Panthers in field goal range for […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a big play from their defense in overtime tied at 23 with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday evening. And OLB Anthony Nelson was happy to deliver one.
The veteran linebacker reached out and ripped the ball away from Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard with the Panthers in field goal range for a walk off win. The ball bounced along the turf, and OLB Yaya Diaby fell on it. The Bucs would go on to drive down to the Carolina 10, setting up Chase McLaughlin's 29-yard walk off field goal.
None of it would have been possible if not for Nelson's huge moment. But, as it turns out, Nelson's game changing play wasn't even the biggest moment of the weekend for him.
Nelson and his wife welcomed a son on Friday.
"It was a busy week," Nelson said. "We had a baby boy on Friday, me and my wife. Blessed with our second baby boy, and now here in Charlotte playing football, yeah, it's been a fun week, it's been a good week. But I'm ready to go home. I've been in the hospital or football for the last three days, so I'm ready to get to my house."
Nelson appeared on Friday's practice report as "did not practice" for personal reasons, and now fans know why. However, that didn't stop him from coming in and making the play of the game for Tampa Bay.
After an Adam Thielen one-handed grab put Carolina inside the Tampa Bay 35-yard line in overtime, Bryce Young handed off to Hubbard, who ran up the middle. Nelson latched onto the ball and ripped it free. The ball bounced across the turf, and finally Diaby landed on it after an agonizing several seconds for Bucs fans.
"Plays just happen," Nelson added regarding his forced fumble. "That's why you play every play – you've got to play hard, you've got to attack the ball, you've got to attack the runner when you're tackling. Doing all the right things. And then eventually sometimes it just lines up. So, it lined up for us today, it lined up for me today, and I'm just glad that Yaya was able to get the ball. I was a little bit nervous watching him trying to pick it up."
Tampa Bay would go from there on a 5-play, 59-yard drive down the Carolina 11, with 38 coming from a chunk run by Rachaad White to get into chip shot range. McLaughlin did the rest, and the Bucs got a crucial road division win to match first place Atlanta's record.
Now, perhaps Nelson can get some rest on the flight back to Tampa before he and the family return home. As all parents know, he's going to need it.
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