default-cbs-image

Richard Sherman deserves a ton of credit for the genius decision he made on the Bills' final offensive play of Monday night's game.

First some context: The Seahawks held a six-point lead in the final seconds, but the Bills owned possession at the 15-yard line. It was fourth-and-goal. So the Bills either needed to score a touchdown or draw a flag to extend their possession. They almost got both. They ended up with neither.

On the play, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor scrambled out of the pocket and tried to hit Robert Woods in the middle of the end zone. His pass fell incomplete. On the other side of the field, the Bills' receiver near the right pylon of the end zone hit the deck.

Richard Sherman, who was responsible for two game-changing plays earlier (one of which was just a tad controversial), decked that receiver before Taylor released the ball. He blatantly checked him to the ground.

Sherman was smart for doing that. Because Taylor had already exited the pocket, Sherman had every right to make contact with a receiver. Illegal contact goes out the window when a quarterback isn't inside the pocket.

And Taylor wasn't in the pocket.

Here's what the rulebook says:

Sherman is one of the league's best players because he's fast, big, physical, and because he's smart. He demonstrated that on the game's most important play. He knows the rulebook.

Sherman (and the Seahawks) won on Monday night.