Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson’s idea of a gadget play Saturday in the Jaguars’ playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers was to take a trip back to the 1940s and re-visit the T-formation.

But the Jaguars’ version of the T worked better than any reverse-pitch or jet sweeps Pederson has dialed up all season — mainly because the 25-yard gain by Travis Etienne to the Chargers’ 16-yard line with 1:27 left in the game on fourth-and-1set up Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal for a 31-30 victory to send the Jaguars (10-8) to the next step of the playoffs on Saturday at AFC top-seeded Kansas City (14-3).

The game at Arrowhead Stadium will be 4:30 p.m. on NBC and is a rematch of a regular-season game on Nov. 13, won by the Chiefs 27-17. However, the Jaguars have since gone 7-1 and the victory over the Chargers, in which they rallied from a 27-0 deficit, was their sixth in a row.

Walter Camp credited with inventing the T

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For those unfamiliar with football’s ancient history, the T has the quarterback under center, with three running backs behind him, a fullback and two halfbacks. The formation usually is run with two tight ends and emphasizes power running.

Historians credit Walter Camp with inventing the formation in 1882. It was brought back in the 1940s and used by Stanford coach Clark Shaughnessy and Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy. Eventually, coaches in college found it better to move the fullback up a bit and run option plays out of the wishbone, and NFL coaches abandoned it completely by the 1950s, turning one of the halfbacks into a wide receiver.

Penn State coach James Franklin has used the formation on a sporadic basis this past season for short-yardage situations and the Nittany Lions scored their first touchdown in the Rose Bowl out of the T.

Pederson said Monday during a news conference at TIAA Bank Field that the formation has been in the Jaguars’ playbook for short-yardage situations and the team has practiced it throughout the season. The personnel grouping put Etienne at left halfback, tight end Luke Farrell at fullback and tight end Chris Manhertz at right halfback.

Wide receiver Zay Jones was the right end, split slightly from tackle Jawaan Taylor. At the snap, Lawrence went left, then handed the ball off to Etienne going right. Jones blocked to the left, taking out safety Alohi Gilman, Taylor buried linebacker Kyle Van Noy and Etienne bounced outside, got leverage on Chargers cornerback Asante Samuels and was dragged down by linebacker Drue Tranquil

One play later (a 2-yard loss by Etienne to leave him with 109 yards in his first playoff game), Pederson ran the clock down to three seconds, called time out and sent Patterson out for the game-winner.

O-line coach lobbied for the play

‘It’s not necessarily designed to get to the corner,’ Pederson said. ‘It happened to bounce to the corner and that was TJ’s gift, right? That was his opportunity to bounce it to the edge. It worked because they crowded the box.’

The Jaguars faced the fourth-and-1 after the two-minute warning when Etienne was stopped 1 yard short of the first-down marker on second-and-5, and Lawrence threw incomplete on the next play.

Pederson initially called for a play out of a conventional short-yardage formation but after Lawrence and the offense got to the line, he called a timeout.

‘I wasn’t thrilled with the look we got defensively,’ Pederson said. ‘[Trevor] liked the play so he wanted to keep us in it. I didn’t, but that’s fine. I get the final say.’

Pederson wouldn’t say what the original play call was and said during the timeout, offensive line coach Phil Rauscher made a pitch for the T-formation play.

The implications were obviously massive: if the play got stuffed, the Chargers would take over on downs and likely run out the clock, which showed 1:20 left when Etienne was tackled. The Jaguars would have only two timeouts left in that case and the math wasn’t on their side.

Pederson said the formation sold the Chargers’ defense that it would be a quarterback sneak, with Farrell and Manhertz in position to give Lawrence a shove forward. Almost the entire defense crashed down and pinched the interior, setting up Etienne to turn the play into a foot race to the edge and then into the open.

‘He gave the appearance of a quarterback sneak with the way everybody lined up tight behind the quarterback,’ Pederson said. ‘You’re starting to see some of the push technique … around the league so we sort of simulated that with the formation. The guys executed really well and kind of won the game.’

Pederson said the formation might go back into cold storage for the foreseeable future.

‘Plays like that are kind of one-and-done,’ he said. ‘You probably won’t see that one again.’

Once was enough for the Jags.

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats spoke to reporters one day after Crimson Tide player Darius Hairston Miles, 21, from Washington, D.C., was one of two suspects arrested on a charge of capital murder.

Oats started his news conference offering condolences to the family and friends of the victim, Jamea Jonae Harris, the 23-year-old woman who was shot to death.

‘I just want to start today by offering our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jamea Jonae Harris,’ Oats said Monday. ‘A young woman, daughter and mother who was taken way too soon from a senseless act. This is an incredibly sad situation. Our hearts go out to her loved ones. Keeping them in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to grieve.’

Miles has been jailed without bond, according to the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. Miles was dismissed from the team Sunday.

Oats said the staff brought the team together Sunday night.

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‘Thought it was important we are all here to support one another through this situation,’ Oats said.

Oats said in his opening statement there was nothing he could add that hadn’t already been shared about the investigation because it is still pending.

‘You may have some questions, but there’s nothing I can comment on relative to Darius’ situation and the investigation,’ Oats said.

Another suspect, Michael Lynn Davis, 20, from Charles County, Maryland, also faces a capital murder charge and has also been jailed without bond. An email from the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit states that Davis is not affiliated with the university.

Oats said there were a lot of hugs last night when the team met and everyone is aware of the services the university offers to help the team cope with this situation.

What was Oats’ message to his players?

“It’s really a tragedy all around, especially for Jamea and her family,’ Oats said. ‘Wish we weren’t having to address this situation, but we’ve got to pull together as a team at this point and … really be there for each other.’

Oats was asked if the incident was isolated to Miles or if any other players were involved.

‘Our entire remaining team is traveling to Nashville and will be available to play in the game tomorrow,’ Oats said.

Oats said he got a call about the shooting Sunday morning. He immediately called Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne. Oats said the two of them started putting their plan in place on how to handle the situation.

The shooting was determined to have occurred in the 400 block of Grace Street off University Boulevard and appears to be the result of a minor argument between the victims and suspects, according to the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit.

Officers with the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the University of Alabama Police Department were called to the scene of a reported shooting at around 1:45 a.m. near the Walk of Champions at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The responding officers made contact with the driver of a vehicle who had stopped outside the stadium for help upon seeing a University of Alabama police vehicle.

Capt. Jack Kennedy, commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, didn’t specify Sunday who investigators believe pulled the trigger, but he did say both suspects are being charged because their actions led to Harris’ death.

The driver of the vehicle, not Harris, told officers the vehicle had been shot into and he had fired back in self-defense and may have struck one of the assailants.

After speaking with witnesses and viewing video surveillance, Miles and Davis were developed as suspects, according to investigators.

Miles had only played in six games this season, missing time because of both an ankle injury and what Oats labeled ‘personal reasons’ after the Mississippi State game. Miles was ruled out for the season Saturday because of an ankle injury.

‘He actually went back home to D.C. to deal with the personal matter that he was gone a couple weeks with,’ Oats said. ‘He had the ankle injury that was kind of ongoing. He’s had multiple issues. They were all completely unrelated to this incident Sunday morning.’

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor promised to continue last year’s tradition of gifting postseason game balls to Cincinnati businesses.

He wasted no time after the Bengals’ 24-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.

Taylor was at The Blind Pig a couple blocks from Paycor Stadium by 12:30 a.m. local time to give the bar the first game ball of this year’s postseason.

The tradition began last year, after the Bengals’ first postseason win in 31 years when they defeated the Las Vegas Raiders in the wild-card round. Taylor said he planned to give game balls to team president Mike Brown and the city of Cincinnati.

His first stop after that game: Mount Lookout Tavern. Players helped gift game balls across the city. The tradition continued with wins over the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs, fueling excitement in the city for the Bengals’ historic postseason run.

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Taylor was greeted like a rock star at The Blind Pig early Monday morning.

‘We need you next week in Buffalo,’ Taylor told the crowd. ‘Find a way to get there.’

NHL Central Scouting confirmed what has been clear for years – and especially since the world junior championship: Connor Bedard is the top prospect for the 2023 draft.

Bedard, who heads up the midterm rankings, won tournament MVP by scoring 23 points in seven games as Canada repeated as gold medal winners. In his first three games back with the Regina (Saskatchewan) Pats, the 5-10, 185-pound center has totaled nine goals and 14 points.

Bedard, 17, who entered the Western Hockey League draft early as a 15-year-old, has a league-best 78 points in 31 games. He has a 30-game point streak since being shut out in the opener. Last year, he had 100 points in 62 games.

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With the winner of the draft lottery in April able to move up only 10 spots this year, the bottom 11 teams have a chance to land the generational talent. Here’s a look at the teams with the best chances, starting with the last-place team (stats as of the afternoon of Jan. 16; this file will be updated at various points during the season).

Chicago Blackhawks (11-26-4, 26 pts.)

The Blackhawks briefly escaped the NHL cellar with a three-game winning streak but fell back into it after giving up six goals on the first seven shots they faced on Jan. 14. They made a game of it but still lost 8-5 to the Seattle Kraken. Injured star Patrick Kane missed the three wins and scored in his return. The Blackhawks were expected to finish low after parting ways with Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach, Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik in the offseason. They have plenty of unrestricted free agents who could be moved at the deadline, ranging from Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to franchise players Kane and Jonathan Toews (who would have to waive their no-movement clauses).

Anaheim Ducks (12-27-4, 28 pts.)

Their minus-81 goal differential is worst in the league. They didn’t get their first regulation win until Nov. 23 and it took them until Dec. 15-17 to get two in a row. Though they had another two-game winning streak in early January, they were outscored 19-5 in their next three games. General manager Pat Verbeek dealt pending UFAs Josh Manson, Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell last season. This year’s UFA list includes John Klingberg and three other defensemen.

Columbus Blue Jackets (13-27-2, 28 pts.)

They moved up from 32nd to 30th with a 4-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 14. Patrik Laine, who has been out three times this season, scored his 10th career hat trick to end a nine-game goal drought. The Blue Jackets held on to end a 10-game road losing streak as offseason free agent splash Johnny Gaudreau had two assists. The team continues to be racked with injuries (No. 1 defenseman Zach Werenski, top six forward Jakub Voracek), but captain Boone Jenner returned. Bedard would answer the question of who plays between Gaudreau and Laine.

Arizona Coyotes (13-24-5, 31 pts.)

The rebuilding team has been hurt by a road-heavy start of the season (28 out of their first 42 games), and their road losing streak has hit 14 games. But they also have lost their last three games at Mullett Arena and nine in a row overall. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun has played well since returning from injury but also had expressed interest in a trade. Bedard would be a good selling point as voters choose whether to approve a new arena in Tempe during a May special election.

San Jose Sharks (13-23-9, 35 pts.)

Erik Karlsson leads all defensemen with 58 points in a resurgent Norris Trophy-caliber season that also earned him an All-Star Game berth. But the Sharks have only four home wins. First-year general manager Mike Grier could choose to continue to remake this team, as he did with an offseason trade of Brent Burns. Plus, he has a decision to make on pending restricted free agent Timo Meier, their leading goal scorer.

Montreal Canadiens (18-23-3, 37 pts.)

The Canadiens went through a 1-9-1 free fall after a strong start, but they won three of their last five games. Brendan Gallagher will miss at least six weeks with a lower-body injury. Mike Hoffman returned to action after being a scratch in four of the previous five games. Montreal also holds Florida’s first-round pick, but the Panthers have moved out of the bottom 11.

Vancouver Canucks (18-22-3, 39 pts.)

Canucks president Jim Rutherford, discussing his slumping team, said on Jan. 16 that he has to do “major surgery” on the roster “between now and the start of next season.” He said the changes could end up involving some core players, but he’s also stuck with contracts he can’t move. Buyouts are possible in the offseason to get the salary cap under control. “I like a challenge, and man, I’ve got a challenge,” he said. He added that the team has taken “our best shot” at re-signing Bo Horvat, though he realizes the offer might be low based on the captain’s career season. Addressing reports that the team has talked with Rick Tocchet, Rutherford acknowledged discussions with other people, but said, “Bruce (Boudreau) is our coach now.”

Other teams

Ottawa Senators (19-20-3, 41 points): The Senators, who made major moves in the offseason, appear to be jelling after a slow start. But they have lost three of four, giving up eight goals to the Kraken and seven to the Colorado Avalanche.

Philadelphia Flyers (18-19-7, 43): The Flyers fell below .500 with a 6-0 loss to the juggernaut Bruins but they’ve still won seven of their last nine. Goalie Carter Hart, who had played well since returning from an injury, was pulled early.

Detroit Red Wings (18-17-7, 43): They’re back in the mix after consecutive losses and have given up four or more goals in 11 of their last 14 games. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic was sent to the American Hockey League after clearing waivers. 

Also: The 22nd-place teams will be determined by Monday night’s action, but the Florida Panthers moved two points ahead of Buffalo by beating the Sabres.

The 32 things we learned from ‘Super Wild Card Weekend’ of the 2022 NFL season:

1. The average margin of victory in a game during the 2022 regular season was 9.7 points, the league’s lowest in 90 years. But things were even tighter at the outset of the playoffs, the first five games decided by an average of 7.2 points.

1a. Throw out the San Francisco 49ers’ 41-23 runaway from the Seattle Seahawks in the weekend’s opener, an 18-point gap, and the next four games were decided by a total of 18 points (4.5-point average).

2. Seven of the teams that were in action on Saturday and Sunday – the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Seattle – didn’t qualify for postseason last year. Of that group, only the Jags and G-Men advanced.

3. This was the first time in 23 years that all three Florida NFL teams – Jaguars, Fins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – all made it to the Super Bowl tournament.

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4. How quickly can a playoff game’s script flip? As long as it takes to force a fumble at the goal line of a 17-17 contest and for a 6-5, 265-pound defensive end to return it 98 yards the other way for the go-ahead TD. Salute to the Cincinnati Bengals’ Sam Hubbard, who now owns the longest fumble recovery return in NFL playoff history and longest TD in Cincy’s postseason log.

5. … As in the number of head coaches who reached these playoffs in their first season with their current team: Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles, the Giants’ Brian Daboll, Miami’s Mike McDaniel, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell and Jacksonville’s Doug Pederson.

5a. It establishes a new high-water mark, besting the four coaches who debuted with postseason crews in 1997.

5b. Daboll and O’Connell became the first rookie HCs to square off since 2009.

5c. McDaniel is also a first-time NFL head coach. The only other times the playoffs featured three of them were 1992 and 2008.

5d. The quintet’s record going into Bowles’ game Monday night is 2-2.

6. … As in the number of matchups, i.e. all of them, on wild-card weekend that were rematches from the regular season, the most in any playoff round in league history.

6a. It was also the fifth time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger that all the opening-round postseason games were replays from the regular season.

6b. Of the rematches, only two (Niners-Seahawks and Jaguars-Chargers) were season sweeps going into Monday.

7. … As in the number of quarterbacks who made their playoff debuts during the wild-card round: the Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley, the Giants’ Daniel Jones, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, San Francisco’s  Brock Purdy, Seattle’s Geno Smith and Miami’s Skylar Thompson.

7a. The only other time that many QBs made their maiden postseason voyage together was 1999.

7b. Purdy and Thompson were the first rookies drafted in the seventh round to start in postseason.

7c. It was the first time in a decade when multiple rookie passers started in the same playoff round. In the opening weekend of the 2012 postseason, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson were all in their first season.

7d. The newbies went 3-4.

7e. Purdy became the first rookie to notch a playoff victory since Wilson.

8. Sunday’s 31-24 loss to the Giants dropped Vikings QB Kirk Cousins’ playoff record to … 1-4. The stat line (31-for-39 for 273 yards and 2 TDs) looked good – but the 3-yard checkdown to TE T.J. Hockenson on the Vikes’ final play, which was run on fourth-and-8, had to be infuriating if you’re a Minnesota fan … or player.

9. Meanwhile, Jones looked every bit the player poised to cash a hefty signing bonus following the season. A pending free agent after the Giants declined his fifth-year option, he passed for 301 yards and a pair of scores and ran for 78 more as the centerpiece of an offense that repeatedly gashed the Vikings despite a relative lack of playmakers aside from Jones and RB Saquon Barkley (109 total yards, 2 TDs). But given what this duo has proven in 2022, gonna be hard for GM Joe Schoen to move on from either.

9a. And Jones’ performance also led the Giants’ social media team to have some fun at Cousins’ expense.

10. Did you know the 49ers’ 10-game win streak entering the playoffs was the longest regular season-ending heater since the NFC was formed in 1970?

10a. The Niners were one of five teams – Bengals (8), Bills (7), Chiefs (5) and Jaguars (5) – to begin the postseason riding a win streak of at least five games, the most in league history.

10b. All five of those streaks remain intact heading into divisional weekend, when at least two will be snapped given Buffalo will host Cincinnati, and the Jags will head to Kansas City.

11. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen certainly didn’t submit his greatest playoff performance in Sunday’s 34-31 escape from the Dolphins, but – despite three turnovers – he did join Matt Ryan as the only players with at least 300 passing yards and three TD passes in three straight postseason games.

12. In 12 games, including Saturday’s win, this season with San Francisco, RB Christian McCaffrey has 1,346 yards and 11 TDs from scrimmage.

13. If you thought the Buffalo-Miami game took forever, even though it didn’t require overtime … yep. Three hours and 53 minutes – but them’s the breaks when teams combine for 141 plays, 31 drives, nine penalties … and 43 incompletions.

14. San Francisco’s sweep of Seattle was the first time the 49ers had beaten the same opponent three times in one season. Their failure to achieve that against the Los Angeles Rams last year cost them a berth in Super Bowl 56.

15. Philadelphia will go for its first-ever three-game sweep of the Giants in next weekend’s divisional around. The bitter NFC East rivals have split four previous playoff meetings, Big Blue sweeping the Eagles in 2000.

16. For anyone comparing the 2020 draft class’ quarterbacks to 1983, let’s pump the brakes a touch. Herbert’s Bolts couldn’t hold a 27-0 lead, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) couldn’t post, and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts (throwing shoulder) may still not be the player we saw for the first three months of the regular season

17. But that Joe Burrow sure is sweet, even when he’s getting pummeled while operating behind three backup O-linemen. Joey Brrrr’s playoff record is now an anti-Cousins 4-1.

18. … As in the number of seasons without a repeat Super Bowl champion. The longest streak in league history was extended weeks ago when the Rams, whose 12 losses were the most ever by a defending Super Bowl champion, were officially cooked.

18a. The 2003 and ’04 New England Patriots remain the most recent back-to-back champions.

19. The Jags became the first team ever to win a playoff game the season after they owned the NFL’s worst record. Their 2021 edition, mostly coached by Urban Meyer, finished 3-14.

20. The Bosa brothers seem to be ships passing in the night.

20a. Niners DE Nick Bosa is 5-2 all-time in playoff games. He was 1-1 in bowl games at Ohio State.

20b. Chargers OLB Joey Bosa is 1-2 all-time in playoff games. He was 3-1 in postseason games at Ohio State and part of the Buckeyes’ 2014 national champions.

21. The Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki became the first (and only) tight end to catch a touchdown pass on the Bills this season.

22. Shoutout to Dean Marlowe, the Bills’ third-string safety after injured Micah Hyde and Damar Hamlin. It would be easy to think of Marlowe as a weak link in Buffalo’s defense, but he made four tackles and picked off a pass Sunday.

23. As for Hamlin, though he visited his teammates Saturday, he wasn’t ready to appear at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium on Sunday and cheered on the Bills while continuing his recovery from home.

24. Were Melissa Stark’s questions really that invasive, Harbs? 

25. The Ravens were the first team in 13 years to open the playoffs on the road in the same venue (Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium) where they ended the regular season.

26. Of course, ‘Super Wild Card Weekend’ isn’t over, for the second year rolling into Monday, when the Bucs will host the Dallas Cowboys.

27. Tampa Bay QB Tom Brady seeks to run his career record against Dallas to 8-0.

28. The Cowboys have lost eight consecutive playoff road games, their last victory occurring in the 1992 NFC title game at San Francisco’s old Candlestick Park.

29. Dallas’ Dak Prescott is the fifth quarterback since postseason expanded to 12 teams in 1990 to begin postseason with at least one interception in seven consecutive games. His four predecessors were all one and done.

30. The Buccaneers-Cowboys winner will head to Northern California to face the 49ers, who – aside from their scalding streak – are also 3-0 in playoff games at Levi’s Stadium.

31. With the one game left, six teams have scored at least 30 points this weekend, tied for the most in any playoff round during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

32. One last bit of ‘Super Wild Card’ context? Teams playing on wild-card weekend have won the Super Bowl 11 times, seven of those clubs true wild cards. A year ago, both the Bengals and Rams advanced from the wild-card round to Super Bowl 56. The season prior, the Buccaneers took the wild-card path – three road playoff wins – to victory in Super Bowl 55.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.

One of the most fearsome hitters to ever step into a batter’s box, Gary Sheffield’s fierce bat wiggle and violent swing signaled his aim was not simply making contact with the baseball. He wanted to pulverize it.

That’s just what he did for 22 seasons after reaching the majors in 1988 at the age of 19. The No. 6 overall pick in the 1986 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheffield collected 2,683 hits and blasted 509 home runs over the course of his career. But unlike most power hitters, he had remarkable plate discipline, walking more times than he struck out.

Sheffield posted a career slash line of .292/.393/.514, winning a batting title in 1992, leading the National League in on-base percentage in 1996 and being selected to the All-Star Game nine times. A five-time Silver Slugger winner, Sheffield never did win an MVP award, but he finished in the top 10 six times – including third in 1992 and 2004 and second in 2003.

However, his poor defensive skills made him a liability in the field as he transitioned from the infield to the outfield early in his career and finally, after spending his first 17 seasons in the National League, to designated hitter.

Due in part to his defense and his explosive personality, Sheffield played for eight different teams before finally calling it quits following the 2009 season.

Why Sheffield belongs in the Hall 

His rare combination of power and on-base percentage made Sheffield an imposing presence in any lineup.

In addition to being one of only 28 players in history to hit 500 or more home runs, Sheffield also ranks among the top 40 all-time in walks (21st with 1,475), RBI (30th with 1,676) and runs scored (39th with 1,636).

Though he doesn’t have an extensive postseason resume, Sheffield was one of the cornerstones of the Florida Marlins’ first World Series championship team in 1997, hitting .320 with a .521 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage in 16 postseason games as the Marlins defeated Cleveland in seven games.

Why Sheffield has fallen short

In short, his defense was terrible. And his teams tried their best to limit the damage he could do.

He finished his career with 60.5 Wins Above Replacement, a figure that’s dragged down considerably by his struggles in the field and puts him 10.6 wins below the average Hall of Famer, according to FanGraphs’ Jay Jaffe.

Sheffield also gets dinged by his connection to performance enhancing drugs through the Mitchell Report and the BALCO scandal. Even though he never tested positive for PEDs, he did admit to a grand jury that he unknowingly used a steroid cream provided by Barry Bonds’ personal trainer before the 2002 season.

Voting trends

Sheffield enjoyed a sizable bump in voter support from 2019 to 2021, but held steady at 40.6% overall last year.

This year, Sheffield’s ninth on the ballot, marks the first time he won’t have to share it with Bonds and Roger Clemens. So it’s possible he won’t be lumped in with others associated with PEDs and voters could be more willing to consider Sheffield on his own merits.

Among the 156 public ballots revealed so far on Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, Sheffield has received support on 65.4% of them.

Previous results:

2015: 11.7%2016: 11.6%2017: 13.3%2018: 11.1%2019: 13.6%2020: 30.5%2021: 40.6%2022: 40.6%

Will Sheffield ultimately get elected?

Candidates in their final years on the ballot usually see some increase in support, and Sheffield appears to be following that trend. With Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling no longer eligible, Sheffield received the fifth-highest vote total among this year’s returning candidates.

However, it may not be quite enough. As we saw with Bonds, there’s still a sizable bloc of voters who prefer to keep anyone associated with PEDs out of the Hall. And Sheffield could suffer in comparison to newcomer Carlos Beltran, who was a much better fielder and has a higher career WAR. 

The local kid turned into the hometown hero over the course of one play. All Sam Hubbard had to do was run 98 yards without being caught.

‘Just get to the end zone,’ Hubbard said after the Bengals defeated the Ravens, 24-17, to advance to the AFC divisional round. ‘We know that these playoff games are never pretty. By any means, get it done.’

Hubbard got it done. Fifteen seconds after the snap, Hubbard was in the end zone with six points and a play that will be remembered forever.

The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end played his high school ball at Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati. He went on to Ohio State and was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. For someone who has spent his entire lifetime playing ball in Ohio, he now has the play of a lifetime to his name. 

He wouldn’t have found himself in that position without teammate Logan Wilson, who knocked the ball away from Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley at the opposite goal line with the game tied at 17 in the fourth quarter.

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Hubbard’s first thank you should be to Huntley for serving the ball on a platter toward the goal line. According to NextGen Stats (and the apparent chip inside the football), the ball was 0.6 yards away from the end zone. Wilson met the ball there with both hands and pushed it loose from Huntley’s grasp.

‘I’m going to be thinking about that the whole offseason,’ Huntley said, ‘just how one play, they won the game.’

As the ball floated toward the ground, running back Gus Edwards could not react in time to snag it. But Hubbard, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, corralled it with both hands.

Ahead of him was nothing but green turf. The race was on. 

Joe Burrow, from the sidelines, thought: 

”Go! Run faster!” the Bengals quarterback told NBC’s Melissa Stark. ‘Big-time play. It won us the game.’ 

Hubbard had a few advantages working for him. The Ravens, in their jumbo goal line package, did not have their fastest players on the field. Since Hubbard’s responsibility on the play was to rush and contain on the edge, he was untouched through the line.

His main antagonist proved to be Mark Andrews. The Ravens tight end emerged from the scrum in hot pursuit of the ball. He passed Edwards and was within six yards of the ball almost immediately. By that point, Bengals defenders were running with him, almost shielding him. 

”He’s coming,” Hubbard thought to himself. ”Somebody block him. Please, please don’t get caught.’ That’s all I was thinking about.’

Andrews made his last-ditch effort, a dive, 30 yards from the end zone. He came up empty. Hubbard kept running and didn’t stop until he saw his teammates smiling faces on the sideline. He reached a top speed of 17.43 mph, while Andrews ran the fastest speed of his career (20.72 mph) in chase. 

Huntley was pleading that the ball crossed the plane. Replay quickly showed that it didn’t. After the game, coach John Harbaugh said the plan was for Huntley to go low on the sneak. 

In the process of Hubbard’s 98 yards of glory, Cincinnati’s win probability increased from 46% to 88%, per Next Gen Stats. It was the longest fumble return in postseason history. Hubbard traveled 123.6 yards on the play, the most distance by a ball carrier on a touchdown this season. The oxygen mask he wore was necessary. 

After the game, the Bengals communications staff revealed that Hubbard was wearing a microphone. The audio clips will, presumably, feature heavy breathing and be worth the wait.  

For now, an addition to the ‘Momentum Swing Hall of Fame’ will do for Hubbard and the Bengals.

‘You can’t even dream that one up,’ Hubbard said. ‘It’s pretty special.’ 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.