Special Teams Player of the Game: Brad Wing
No player’s impact is more commonly overlooked on a football team than that of a punter. Despite the fact that the punter plays a direct role in where the opposition begins their possessions, they’re often written off as virtual non-factors.
During the New York Giants’ 10-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, punter Brad Wing reminded fans of just how important it can be to have a great punter.
Wing punted the ball nine times for a 389 yards—a deceivingly pedestrian average of 43.2 yards per punt. The Giants consistently got past the 50-yard line, but couldn’t score, which thus put Wing in the unenvious position of having to punt with a short field.
Wing was up to the task, landing five punts within the 20-yard line and two within the five-yard line, including a clutch punt that set up the Cowboys’ final possession.
Any time the opponent is working from their own three-yard line, the punter deserves a round of applause. The fact that Wing pinned Dallas that deep in its territory on two separate occasions, including the final drive, is punting wizardry.
Punters may never get the respect they deserve for their impact on the game, but Wing played a major role in limiting Dallas’ offensive potential.
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It wasn’t pretty, but the New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 10-7 to improve to 9-4 in 2016.