Adewale Ojomo of the New York Giants barreled around right end, with New England Patriots reserve quarterback/sitting duck Brian Hoyer in his sights. Ojomo reached Hoyer, swatted at the ball with his best Osi Umenyiora impersonation and knocked the ball to the ground.
Marcus Thomas of the Giants recovered the ball and returned it to the New England 20-yard line with 2:27 to play, setting up what would become a game-winning 32-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal in the Giants' 6-3 victory on Wednesday night.
Not only did Ojomo set up the victory, saving the Giants and Patriots the aggravation of having to play overtime in a preseason game, he might have forced his way onto the season-opening 53-man roster.
Ojomo, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound undrafted free agent defensive end from Miami, finished the preseason with a team-leading four sacks. He also played impressive run defense Wednesday, getting three tackles. He finished the preseason with 10 tackles to go along with his four sacks.
"This is a first class organization …," the defensive end said of his chances of making the team. "I would love to be a part of it besides the high taxes and the high rent. Besides that I would love to be a part of this city and this team."
We won't find out until Friday is Ojomo has convinced the Giants he belongs. That is when teams have to reach the 53-man regular-season roster limit. He has, however, convinced Giants' defensive captain Justin Tuck that he belongs in the league.
"He had a great game. A great preseason. He’s talented. He’s definitely making a case to be on this football team. And if not on this one, he’s proven he can play in this league," Tuck said after Wednesday's game.
[Complete Ojomo post-game transcript]
The Giants have Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Umenyiora at defensive end. There is, however, an opening as fourth defensive end Dave Tollefson left for the Oakland Raiders via free agency.
Adrian Tracy, a sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2009, has been considered the leader for that spot. Undrafted free agent Matt Broha, an Craig Marshall, a member of the Giants practice squad a season ago, are also bidding for the spot.
"I’m confident in myself and confident in my abilities,'' Ojomo said. "I don’t think I’m a fluke, I think I could go out each and every week every Sunday and do what I need to do.''
We find out soon enough if the Giants will give him a chance to do it for them.