Few players can make plays like the one Kam Chancellor made to save a touchdown late in the game against the Lions this past Monday night, when the strong safety punched the football out of Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson's hands at the 1-yard line to preserve a 13-10 Seattle win. The Seahawks, though, are fortunate enough to have not just one, but two players who have made highlight plays like that.
Earl Thomas has forced a fumble in a similar situation at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks' free safety chopped the ball out of Benny Cunningham's hands in Week 17 last season just as the Rams running back was about to cross the goal line. Thomas' fumble helped the Seahawks hold onto a 20-6 win over St. Louis.
So which safety's SportsCenter Top 10-worthy play was better?
"Kam," Thomas said Thursday during his weekly meeting with the media at Seahawks headquarters. "Because of the situation, and it's in the now. Mine was last year, so I took last year's award."
Thomas, who tackled Johnson's legs during this past Monday's fateful play, said he thought he was the one who caused the Pro Bowl wideout to fumble at first. He didn't even see Chancellor coming.
"I just closed my eyes and braced myself for contact, and I got up and I looked back and I saw the ball going out," Thomas said. "So I thought I caused it in the back of my mind. Then I found out Kam caused it."
Thomas was reminded of another punch-out fumble he forced against the Panthers to open the 2013 season. The turnover killed a late-game drive by Carolina and helped seal a 12-7 Seahawks win. Thomas was asked why the Seattle defense is able to keep making big plays like that when it matters most.
"I think the more we have success, it leaves us clues," Thomas said. "We talk about that in the defensive meeting room and we just add on to that. Once we do something good, we see the technique the correct way, or the opportunity that it took for us to have that success."
Which piece of success from the Seahawks defense do you think had the biggest impact? Cast your vote in the poll below.
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