Wow that safety was a massive momentum swing too. The safety and pick 6 were just insanely huge. Totally different game without 2 plays.
They both were huge, yes; but, neither were that 99-yard drive. We actually responded in the most perfect way possible after the pick-6, and even had a bit of momentum after it, coming out after half.
We three and out them to open the 2nd half. Exactly what we needed to do. Then we scored after they punted it away, cutting it to 23-13, with 11 minutes to go in the 3rd. Right back into the game, with some momentum. The two things we absolutely had to do coming out of halftime, we executed to perfection.
Now, its 23-13...then we get a turnover on Bama's very next drive, right around midfield. We actually had ALL of the momentum there. We go down and get ANY type of score at all, its game on and a full-blown dogfight.
But, what happened? We went 9 yards, punted, downed at the 1. They go 99, taking 6 mins off the 3rd, and it's game over.
Yes, the pick-6 was huge, absolutely...and, quite possibly, outside of Carroll throwing it in the Super Bowl, the dumbest call I've ever seen; yet, I believe we weathered it pretty well, with how we came out after it happened. The 99-yarder was not only the nail, it was the very definition of taking our heart.