Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay has been in the NFL since 2013 and developed into a solid starting corner. Certainly good enough to not get picked on and abused by opponents. Except that’s exactly what happened to him on Sunday Night Football and it happened despite Slay’s best efforts.
Darius Slay probably never wants to play Denver again after what it did to him on ‘Sunday Night Football’
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
First, Demaryius Thomas soared above Slay to snatch a ball away from his grasp and score a touchdown.
Slay was in good position, went up to make a play and Thomas just made a better one. Thomas has done that to plenty of other corners too. It happens.
Unfortunately for Slay, it was just the first part of a rough night.
Later in the game, while leading 14-12, the Broncos lined up for a 53-yard field goal. They missed. Except the Lions were flagged for overloading one side of the formation with more than six players lined up on the line of scrimmage to one side of the snapper.
The culprit? Darius Slay. He wasn’t rushing the kick, but wandered too close to the line of scrimmage while playing field goal safe. His flag gave the Broncos another chance, and Brandon McManus took advantage and hit the 48-yard attempt.
The night still wasn’t over for Slay.
Trying to salt the game away late in the fourth quarter, Peyton Manning took a shot down the right sideline. Slay was once again in good position and went up to make a huge play. Except once again, a Denver receiver snatched a sure interception away.
Emmanuel Sanders just made the better play. Instead of a interception that gave the Lions late life, it was a 34-yard catch for Sanders and essentially a game-clincher.
Slay was basically beaten twice on similar plays and by a matter of inches. The only problem is those two plays proved to be two of the biggest of the game. Add in the special teams blunder and this was a game Slay would probably like to forget.
