So much about being a great defensive player in the NFL is having good timing and knowing the right angles to take, and New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore put those attributes on display throughout Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams.
The veteran defensive back was a problem for the Rams throughout the game. One of his best plays was forcing a fumble in the fourth quarter by punching the ball out of the grasp of Rams running back C.J. Anderson.
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The Checkdown tweeted a fantastic video Tuesday breaking down Gilmore's forced fumble. Check it out in the tweet below:
Perhaps the most impressive part of this play might be the fact that Gilmore was getting stiff-armed in the face as he was making a lunge at the ball and still was able to pry it loose.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, the ball rolled out of bounds and the Rams maintained possession.
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However, Gilmore forced a turnover later in the fourth quarter when he intercepted Rams quarterback Jared Goff. The Patriots kicked a field goal on the ensuing drive en route to a 13-3 victory.
Gilmore took his performance to an even higher level in 2019 and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award. He also earned a first-team All-Pro selection for the second consecutive season.