Alternate angles show just how insane Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary TD was
By Mike Luciano
While NY Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a list of official accolades so long it would take your breath away to read them all, one of the unofficial titles he has picked up in his long career is the unofficial king of the Hail Mary. Rodgers added yet another half-field heave to his growing collection.
Trailing 20-10 at home against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, Rodgers completed a pass to Garrett Wilson and got the Jets in range for a Hail Mary. Rodgers got some time and launched it, hoping the football gods would give him a prayer that could save their season.
Miraculously, Allen Lazard managed to come down with the catch, even as the referees argued with one another over the decision. This put the Jets within striking distance at 20-17, though they later tied things up at 20-20 after Rodgers led the team down to the three-yard line before a field goal.
While the television angle was crazy enough, the alternate angles of this catch might be even more ridiculous. An angle from the sideline shows just how far Rodgers launched the ball and how improbable it was for Lazard to actually secure the catch in a sea of blue jerseys.
The end zone angle may have the best illustration of just how improbable it was for Rodgers to complete this pass. Lazard, who now is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with five, made his best play in a Jets uniform by leaping as high as he could and securing the ball.
New angles show how difficult Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary TD Pass was
Rodgers now has four career touchdown passes of 40 or more yards at the end of games or halves with 10 or fewer seconds remaining on the clock. In that time, Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton are tied for second place with two, and it seems unlikely either of them will break that record.
After only leading the Jets to nine points against the Broncos and throwing three interceptions against the Vikings, Rodgers looks more like the quality producer fans will remember from his Green Bay days. Doing this against a very good Bills defense should earn him extra praise.
While the result of this game may not be determined by this play, throws like that are evidence to show that Rodgers is still capable of making magic happen on a moment's notice.