What Just Happened? : Peyton’s Naked Bootleg

That isn’t what it sounds like. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Sunday afternoon’s Broncos at Cowboys matchup featured one of the most epic Peyton Manning touchdowns in a long career of epic Peyton Manning touchdowns – except this one was his first rushing (or running – same thing) touchdown in 5 years. As I mentioned on Sunday, I felt like my eyes might fall right out of my face due to the overabundance of enthusiasm and adoration and sheer adrenaline.

football, advanced, bootleg

So, what happened?

Watch this.

That play is called a naked bootleg, and Peyton ran it to perfection…in slow motion.

A bootleg is a play in which the quarterback runs behind the offensive line, in the same direction they are moving, before running outside of the offensive line in an attempt to break down the field and gain as many rushing yards as possible.

A naked bootleg is the same play, only the quarterback runs in the opposite direction of the offensive line before breaking down the field for as many rushing yards as possible – or, in Peyton’s case, a rushing touchdown.

It was a thing of beauty. A thing of beauty that almost made my eyes fall out.