The play, in an otherwise forgettable Lions loss in a September home game in 1994, was vintage Barry Sanders. From near midfield in the third quarter of a game against the Patriots, the all-time great running back took a handoff, ran to the right. Then rather than get taken down as most runners would, Sanders surged through an opening of his own invention, causing safety Harlon Barnett to spin around as Sanders ultimately sprinted into the end zone. At the time, the touchdown felt significant in that it cut the New England lead in half, but it was ultimately irrelevant to the outcome as the Lions lost, 23-17. In a bigger sense, though, the game and setting merely provided an excuse and opportunity for Sanders to, yet again, reveal his artistry.