NFL Play of the Year: 5 Plays That Deserved It over Randall Cobb's Return

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At tonight's NFL Honors award show, Randall Cobb won the award for Play of the Year for his 108-yard kickoff return touchdown on opening night against the Saints.  If you recall, Cobb essentially did a barrel roll in the middle of his return without being touched down and then outraced the stunned Saints coverage team to the end zone.

While that was certainly a phenomenal play, with all due respect to the NFL awards committee, that was not the best play of the season.  Click through the slideshow for five other plays that were more deserving of the honor.

Marshawn Lynch Pops out of the Pile Against the Eagles

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Marshawn Lynch brought us one of the great touchdown runs in the history of the NFL playoffs with his beast mode run that set off seismic sensors against the Saints.  In this play, Lynch is back to his usual tricks again, breaking not just individual tackles, but running through virtually the entire Eagles defense in a pile.

Lynch runs up the middle for virtually no gain, and then all of a sudden he trucks his way out of the other side of the pile and runs for a touchdown, leaving a gaggle of very confused defenders in his wake.

LeGarrette Blount Goes Beast Mode on the Packers

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LeGarrette Blount took a page out of Marshawn Lynch's book with this run against the Packers.  Blount, who is freakishly athletic for someone as big as himself, makes seven or eight would-be tacklers miss en route to a 54-yard touchdown run.

In just the span of his very young career, Blount has provided us with more than his fair share of highlights.  Whether he's hurdling defenders or just flat out plowing through them, he's great fun to watch.

Patrick Peterson's Game-Winning 99-Yard Punt Return

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Patrick Peterson made quite a splash in his rookie season this year, emerging as one of the premier kick and punt return specialists in the NFL.  He essentially won the game against the Panthers early in the season when he took an 89-yard punt return back for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Against the Rams, however, he did it in overtime, and he did it from 99 yards out.  Peterson's walk-off punt return was a phenomenal display of speed and agility, and was just about the most exciting way to end a football game in overtime.

Brandon Marshall Get Mugged, Catches Touchdown Anyway

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In the third quarter of the Dallas-Miami game with the Dolphins down 10-9, Matt Moore threw up a jump ball to Brandon Marshall who was being "covered" by Terrance Newman.  Newman, realizing he was beat in the end zone, wraps up Brandon Marshall around his head from behind like a scrub basketball player trying to employ the "Hack a Shaq" defense. 

Unfortunately for Newman, Marshall is a big, strong guy, and he made the catch without paying any attention to Newman's harassment.  This is the football equivalent of posterizing a guy on a dunk in basketball.  The amount of strength and focus Marshall displayed on this play is staggering.

Jerome Simpson Sticks the Landing

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The fact that Jerome Simpson's now iconic touchdown flip was not chosen as the Play of the Year is beyond comprehension.  Simpson doing a front flip over a defender and sticking the landing in the end zone is one of the most impressive displays that I have ever seen in the NFL.

Who knew football was an Olympic sport?  With all due respect to Randall Cobb, the front flip trumps the barrel roll every time.