Pierre-Paul's block caps spectacular effort
Dan Bailey of the Dallas Cowboys misses a field goal late in the fourth quarter that was blocked by Jason Pierre-Paul of the New York Giants. (Dec. 11, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jason Pierre-Paul was drafted for his freakish athletic ability. Now that his football acumen is beginning to catch up to those talents, he's becoming almost unstoppable.
The best example of his improved grasp of the game came on the biggest play of Sunday night's 37-34 win over the Cowboys. Rookie Dan Bailey kicked a 47-yard field goal in the final seconds that would have tied the score and sent the game into overtime, but Tom Coughlin had called a late timeout to ice the rookie kicker. On the second attempt, Pierre-Paul changed his approach and blocked the kick to seal the win.
"The first one, the guard blocked me," Pierre-Paul said. "He's a strong cat. He was heavy and I couldn't push him. The second one, I got a push on the center . . . I gave great effort and blocked the kick. I didn't go through the guard, I stepped left and went through the center, and the ball was right there."
When Coughlin said after the game that there were "plays out there that you shake your head [at]," he was talking about the entire game. But he could have been talking about Pierre-Paul exclusively.
The blocked field goal was not the only points Pierre-Paul had a hand in determining. He sacked Tony Romo in the first quarter for a safety. He also was credited with eight tackles and two sacks, forced a fumble, and teamed with Chris Canty for a key stop on the three-and-out that the defense put up between the Giants' two late touchdown drives as they came back from a 34-22 deficit.
"He is something else," Coughlin said. "He's got a relentless motor. Early in the game, I was thinking, 'Where is this guy?' and then he comes back and makes plays like that. That was something."
And probably something he would not have been able to accomplish last year as a raw rookie.
"You don't get lucky and make that many plays," linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. "Maybe last year you could say OK, he doesn't understand, but at this point in the season this year . . . I think you're witnessing the development from good to great right now, and you have to be proud of him."
