Plays of the Year: Vance McDonald’s hustle play prevents a touchdown

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on January 27, 2018

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the tops runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between for the Steelers 2017 season.

The Chicago Bears were far from being a good team this season. Thus, when the Steelers dropped an overtime road loss to them in Week 3 of the regular season, fans were fuming.

And they had every right to be. The team looked completely unprepared in a “preseason” sort of way, including the beginning of the play below, where the Bears blocked a field goal attempt by Chris Boswell before half.

Buried in a sea of mishaps is one from this game standout play which deserves being highlighted: from a mishap by the Bears!

That play comes from tight end Vance McDonald, who doubled as a starter and a special teams players after arriving in Pittsburgh via a trade with San Francisco last offseason.

In a play that Leon Lett (who famously stopped short of and was stripped before the goal line in Super Bowl XXVII) could sympathize with, McDonald and holder Jordan Berry hustle down the field to catch up with the Bears Marcus Cooper, who stops just short of the goal line… allowing McDonald to knock the ball away and preventing Chicago from putting six points on the board.

The Bears would eventually kick a field goal to end the half, after a confusing explanation (below) and review by the officiating team gave the Steelers opponent the ball on their own one-yard line:

(:06) (Field Goal formation) C.Boswell 35 yard field goal is BLOCKED (S.McManis), Center-K.Canaday, Holder-J.Berry, RECOVERED by CHI -M.Cooper at CHI 29. M.Cooper to PIT 1 for 70 yards (V.McDonald). FUMBLES (V.McDonald), ball out of bounds in End Zone, Touchback. The Replay Official reviewed the penalty enforcement ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Field Goal formation) C.Boswell 35 yard field goal is BLOCKED (S.McManis), Center-K.Canaday, Holder-J.Berry, RECOVERED by CHIM. Cooper at CHI 26. M.Cooper to PIT 1 for 73 yards (V.McDonald). FUMBLES (V.McDonald), ball out of bounds in End Zone, Touchback. PENALTY on PIT-J.Berry, Illegal Bat, 0 yards, enforced at PIT 1.

Good play McDonald… bad game Steelers!