Due to inclement weather, field position is at a premium in Saturday’s AFC North clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
After Baltimore tied the game 7–7, Pittsburgh running back Godwin Igwebuike made an incredible special teams play that enabled the Steelers to gain valuable yardage.
As the ball came to rest around the 5-yard line of the rain-soaked field, Igwebuike intentionally placed his feet out of bounds and stretched on the ground, extending to lay on top of the ball.
One of the smartest plays you'll see. 💯
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2024
Godwin Igwebuike fields the kickoff while laying out of bounds to force the penalty on Baltimore.
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Due to an obscure NFL rule, Igwebuike’s effort resulted in a Ravens penalty for kicking out of bounds. The Steelers then started their drive from the 40-yard line instead of being backed up close to their own goal line.
In a low-scoring game that only witnessed two scoring drives in the first half, this was an extraordinarily clever way of circumventing league rules to gain valuable yardage.
