As a soccer participant, you’re taught at an early age to “play to the whistle.”
Washington Commanders rookie Jartavius Martin supplied a textbook instance of that expression on Monday evening.
Going through the Baltimore Ravens — a workforce looking out their Twenty fifth-straight preseason victory — Martin and the Washington protection was on the sector dealing with a 2nd-and-3 scenario halfway via the second quarter, with the Ravens knocking on the pink zone. Martin aligned within the slot, working towards Baltimore slot receiver James Proche II. The Ravens dialed up a rub idea, creating visitors for Proche to interrupt vertically out of the slot.
The idea labored, as Proche labored open downfield whereas the rookie CB was caught in visitors. Backup quarterback Josh Johnson floated a go in Proche’s path, which allowed Martin to make up misplaced floor.
And full an large effort interception:
As you may see from this replay angle, Martin by no means offers up on the play. The rookie CB not solely performs till the whistle, however he performs “up via the pocket,” working his palms up into Proche’s palms on the catch level, which helps deflect the soccer and forestall the completion.
However Martin was not completed there, as he snared the interception, received each ft down, and raced upfield with the massive turnover:
Washington capitalized on their ensuing possession, taking a 10-7 lead on this landing go from newly-minted starter Sam Howell to working again Antonio Gibson:
Ought to Washington go on and win this recreation, thereby breaking Baltimore’s 24-game successful streak, Martin’s interception may simply have turned the tide.
However even when the Ravens pull out the win to maintain their streak alive, the Washington rookie cornerback has simply given each soccer coach on the planet some educating tape to indicate their gamers.
