Sleeping Giant: Why Steve Smith Is the NFL’s Most Underrated Player

August 14, 2010   ·   Paul Kasabian   ·   Jump to comments


Some moments in sports history have a peculiar habit of falling into an entrapping black hole that escapes memory and time.
Take Super Bowl XLII as a concrete example. Pop in a DVD of America's Game: The 2007 New York Giants, and you'll notice that David Tyree's yet to be named but rightfully immortalized helmet catch leads directly to Plaxico Burress' game-winning touchdown.
Missing in between is one of the most unheralded clutch plays in Super Bowl history, from a wide receiver who somehow flies under the radar in the NFL's massive national landscape and New York City's blinding lights despite 107 catches, 1,220 yards, seven touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl appearance last season.
With 45 seconds left, all signs pointed to Tyree's catch being all for naught, as the Giants, down 14-10, faced a third-and-11 from the Patriots' 25-yard line with no timeouts remaining.
Then rookie Steve Smith lined up as the slot receiver next to Amani Toomer. After the ball was snappe...

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