Cody Parkey's Double Doink miss had help.
Meticulous review of the Chicago Bears' season-ending missed field goal shows that Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Treyvon Hester tipped the ball just enough off the line of scrimmage to help push it offline.
"Me and Haloti Ngata] ... we got penetration, got the hand up like coach always says . Tipped off my fingertips. Felt good ... [but] actually, I thought I didn't get enough of it, I thought it was going to go in," Hester said after the 16-15 victory, [via the Philly Daily News. "When I saw it going in, I turned back around [away from the goal posts]. Then I heard everybody screaming, I was like, oh, [bleep] ... he missed it."
On Monday, the NFL officially changed the play to a blocked field goal by Hester via a stat correction.
Hester's tip was sufficient to help the kick leak left, hit the upright, carom off the crossbar and bound back into the field of play for the miss.
The ball getting tipped underscores that the loss wasn't solely on Parkey. It never was -- even if the kicker's boot was never grazed by Hester. The Bears' defense couldn't stop Nick Foles in the clutch and generated just one sack on the game. The offense took all night to get started and went a woeful five of 16 on third downs.
The realization that the boot was tipped, however, might take some heat off Parkey.
Hester won the game for the Eagles. Now Philly has another hero to thank.
