With the team's playoff hopes likely hanging in the balance, San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks may have changed the entire narrative of the season with one massive play.
Brooks forced New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to fumble on a pass attempt in overtime with a top-shelf move to escape blockers. Young Chris Borland would scoop up the loose rock, and kicker Phil Dawson would nail a 35-yard field goal to hand the 49ers a perhaps season-saving 27-24 victory.
Per Mike Wilkening of NBC's Pro Football Talk, "Brooks’ big play comes less than a year after he was penalized for unnecessary roughness for forcing a Brees fumble in the last meeting between these teams. The Saints would rally to defeat the 49ers."
That spell of bad luck was broken on Sunday, as Brooks stripped Brees on a clean play to set up the game-winner. Consequently, a 49ers team desperate to find a spark now has the momentum necessary to make a push up the NFC ladder.
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