Patriots
“I was talking to myself before the play, like man, make a play right here AG. I asked and received”
Antonio Gibson smiled and rubbed his face as he was asked about the 90-yard kick return he ran back for a touchdown during the Patriots’ 33-27 win against the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon.
The Patriots were in need of a big play after giving up a 74-yard punt return to Miami on the previous drive.
It didn’t take long for Gibson to respond.
“I need to start talking to myself more,” Gibson said with a laugh. “I was talking to myself before the play, like man, make a play right here AG. I asked and received.”
Gibson pushed past a pair of Miami defenders and found a crease that took him up the sideline. He won the footrace to the endzone, zooming in for the score.
“I caught myself trying to look back at the defender, and I was like ‘man you’re tripping. Just run. After that, I had my eyes on the endzone and that was that.”
Coach Mike Vrabel, who turned 50 last month, turned and sprinted down the sideline following Gibson as the play was unfolding.
“If he’s keeping up with me, then I need to run faster,” Gibson said. “I heard he almost caught me though.”
Receiver Stefon Diggs watched the play afterwards on video and took a playful dig at the coach who played 14 seasons in the NFL.
“I was like he’s slow as hell,” Diggs said.
The play was a difference-maker in the Patriots’ first win of the season. The Patriots jumped out to a 12-0 lead but quickly surrendered it after Tua Tagovailoa started hitting his speedy receivers downfield for big plays. It became a back-and-fourth contest with several lead changes.
Miami took it’s final lead of the game with 7:18 to go in the fourth quarter on Washington’s punt return. The Patriots’ offense didn’t get a chance to hit the field before Gibson answered with his touchdown. New England’s defense held Miami scoreless the rest of the way.
“I saw him cut around the edge. The kicker didn’t know where he was at,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “He just kept turning and I knew he wasn’t catching him then. What a play. That’s just this league. There are close games. In one-score games, you got to come out on top. That was awesome.”
Gibson, who received five touches on offense for 27 yards said he didn’t put together the complete game that he wanted to. But, he made a key play that helped seal the win.
“I had a few good runs here and there,” Gibson said. “Shoutout to [Rhamondre Stevenson] and [TreVeyon Henderson] for doing their thing. We complimented each other well today, especially with the heat and the weather and everything that was going on.”
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