Another interception as shocking as Butler's?

Butler just came out of nowhere. The all-22 and some of the video angles showed he covered an amazing amount of ground to pick off a ball that looked completely safe from the QB's point of view.

Favorite pic of that: https://twitter.com/StatsNBCSports/status/562092941800251392/photo/1 .

Can someone point me to some other interceptions that were as extreme? I'm not talking about the game situation or the importance of the game. Just, the receiver looks completely opening and suddenly, whoosh, the defender appears out of nowhere.

The thing is, that it's so unusual that the defender can guess the play with that much certainty, has practiced that exact play that much, is incentivized to risk it all on a read, and has the explosiveness of Butler, that it must be very rare for this to happen.

I mean, this is not just another undercutting the route. This was pretty extreme.

Tracy Porter picking off Manning in SB XLIV stands out to me.

Neil O'Donnel throwing the ball directly to Larry Brown in Pitt/Dal SB 1995.

Revis' interception on Luck out of the bunch formation was pretty surprising, but nothing equals that Butler interception.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-...486/Andrew-Luck-intercepted-by-Darrelle-Revis

Asante's pick-6 against Peyton in the 2006 AFCCG was very impressive. Lightning fast break on the curl, arms shot out in front of the WR and the ball just stuck to his hands. Was stunning live.

When i looked at your linked picture, I agree with you. Wilson probably didn't even see Butler, as he looks to be directly behind the Hawks right tackle and Ninko. The WR looks to be WIDE OPEN.

Tracey Porter pick 6 of Peyton Manning in the Saints-Colts SB is the only one that is comparable. That was the SB winning moment -- the indelible mark.

However, I still give the nod to Butler. Backs were to the wall, with only seconds left in the game. And truly, a far more spectacular INT - - I still can't fathom how he closed so much ground in less than a second - Lockette was OPEN. Also, how does a CB make that catch from such close in quarters. Third, he absolutely BLASTED Lockette (who had a big size advantage) sideways at the perfect moment.

Pat the Pats Fan said:

When i looked at your linked picture, I agree with you. Wilson probably didn't even see Butler, as he looks to be directly behind the Hawks right tackle and Ninko. The WR looks to be WIDE OPEN.

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The NFL films audio makes it clear that Wilson definitely didn't see Butler. They caught multiple conversations with him on the sidelines asking Coach Petey and others what the defense had done to make the play.

There was some similar audio with Brady and McDaniels reviewing the pictures of the Wagner interception so I don't think it is too rare a thing in the NFL at the speed its played with the level of athletes for QBs to get picked by guys they never thought were in position to make a play.

None bigger than Butler's in the history of the Super Bowl Era. Because it basically WON the the Super Bowl. No playoff or SB int ever won the game like that. Probably the biggest defensive play in the Super Bowl era ever.

Prior to this the 'biggest' interception in a Super Bowl in my mind was James Harrison picking off Kurt Warner's pass on a slant intended for Anquan Boldin with time running out at the end of the first half in 2009(?). That was a 14-point swing and the Cardinals probably beat the Steelers in that game - though that's impossible to say for sure, as Pittsburgh would have played differently in the second half had they been behind.

On a side note it is interesting that Warner is the QB who threw a pair of crucial interceptions in Super Bowl losses (to Harrison and to Ty Law) - yet was a finalist in this year's Hall of Fame voting, and many believe he will be enshrined next year.

(I realize this play doesn't fit the OP's definition of what he was looking for, but it was still the first SB pick that I thought of. If I recall correctly, ironically Harrison was pass rushing on that play but was effectively blocked; if that hadn't happened then he would not have been in position to make the interception.)

There are a whole bunch of Peyton Manning picks to choose from.

jmt57 said:

Prior to this the 'biggest' interception in a Super Bowl in my mind was James Harrison picking off Kurt Warner's pass on a slant intended for Anquan Boldin with time running out at the end of the first half in 2009(?). That was a 14-point swing and the Cardinals probably beat the Steelers in that game - though that's impossible to say for sure, as Pittsburgh would have played differently in the second half had they been behind.

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How is that 1st half pick 6 bigger than Tracey Porter's pick 6 of Peyton Manning in the 4th quarter of the Saints-Colts SB?

Ty Laws' pick six on Warner in SB XXXVI.

It's the greatest interception I've seen, bar none.

Agreed with the op. That view clearly reflects how good a play Butler made AND how it may not have been such a bad pass by Wilson.

But, if someone had told me prior to that game, a legendary Pat's int in the closing seconds would win in historical fashion, I'd have given odds of Revis 75 %, McCourty 24 % and all others 1 %.

Malcom Butler !

We are still just 3 weeks in from that occurence.

Past experience with these kinds of plays is that the legend tends to grow larger over time.

Butler will always be remembered for this play no matter what else he does for the rest of his career.

Part of that is great, but part of that is kind of unsettling. For some reason, I think he realizes that.

Just his demeanor about it shows that he is working hard to keep everything in perspective.
1)As he came off the field after the INT, he was overcome and disbelieving.
2) He definitely seemed to be trying to keep calm in the aftermath of the game and the next day in Disney.
3) By Wednesday at the parade, he seemed more accepting and joyful.
4) As the appearances have gone on, he seemed to be understanding what he now symbolizes.

Just some armchair psychology from hundreds of miles away, to be sure, but many experts say how one handles very sudden success is more tricky than how one handles personal crisis.

He seems to be doing well so far and I hope the kid only enjoys it for a lifetime.

Eric Davis' pick 6 in the 1994 NFCCG SF vs DAL. Once he took that to the house, I knew Dallas' three peat chances were shot. DAL was like the chicago bulls in terms of invincibility...and to see a play like that on the first drive of that game was really shocking.

shmessy said:

How is that 1st half pick 6 bigger than Tracey Porter's pick 6 of Peyton Manning in the 4th quarter of the Saints-Colts SB?

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The Harrison pick simply came to my mind first.

Porter's pick came in the last five minutes, but the Saints were up by 7. Even if the Colts do score that only ties the game, and New Orleans has time to drive down the field for a game winning field goal. While Harrison's interception indeed came much earlier in the game, that play was a 14-point swing in what turned out to be a four-point victory.

jmt57 said:

The Harrison pick simply came to my mind first.

Porter's pick came in the last five minutes, but the Saints were up by 7. Even if the Colts do score that only ties the game, and New Orleans has time to drive down the field for a game winning field goal. While Harrison's interception indeed came much earlier in the game, that play was a 14-point swing in what turned out to be a four-point victory.

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Porter's pick 6 came with 3:24 to go in the entire game and Peyton Manning driving down the field in Saints territory on the 31 yard line.

James Harrison's pick was in the first half against an aging Kurt Warner.

Most importantly, for this discussion, Warner and the Cardinals retook the lead later in that game.

Porter shut the door on Peyton.

You and I will have to just agree to disagree on the relative import of the two.

Pat the Pats Fan said:

When i looked at your linked picture, I agree with you. Wilson probably didn't even see Butler, as he looks to be directly behind the Hawks right tackle and Ninko. The WR looks to be WIDE OPEN.

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That would make sense considering Russel Wilson asks Pete Carroll afterwards. "What happened?"

memento said:

Revis' interception on Luck out of the bunch formation was pretty surprising, but nothing equals that Butler interception.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-...486/Andrew-Luck-intercepted-by-Darrelle-Revis

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Nothing touches the Butler INT...instinct..final play ect ect