How Tarheeb Stills’ Pick 6 defined his breakout game in Atlanta

Still became the second rookie in Bolts history to record a multi-interception game and return one for a touchdown, joining John Hendy, who did so against Buffalo in Week 13 of the 1985 season.

His pick 6 was also the first by a Chargers rookie since 2017.

According to initial data from Pro Football Focus, Still finished with a team-high grade of 94.3 after conceding just two balls on five goals.

One of the receptions was a 60-yard chunk play on the ensuing drive that would lead to a Falcons field goal, but he responded with another big play when the lights were brightest.

On a third-and-12 with 52 seconds left in the game, Cousins ​​appeared to have found his receiver, Drake London, for what would have been a first down.

Only that wasn’t the case, as Still managed to fight his way through the play and break up the pass to set up a fourth down where Derwin James Jr. would make the game-winning pick.

It’s the type of sequence that made the first-year rookie shine.

“That’s what people have to notice about him, not one play affects him,” linebacker said Daiyan Henley added. “Whether it’s a bad pass or a missed tackle or not, he’s a fighter and he’s going to keep going.”

“He went out and did exactly what he said he would do, he talked about he was going to make one play with the ball and made two plays with the ball,” Henley continued.

“Even three, I think that play at the end is just as big as the pick-six because it’s crunch time and he made those plays,” Henley added. “He’s a young guy, he continues to prove that in this league it doesn’t matter how old you are, you just have to be a baller.”

Veteran Safety Tony Jefferson echoed sentiments about the newcomer’s balanced approach.

That doesn’t surprise him, though, because he remembers watching “Still” in college last year when he was a scouting assistant in Baltimore.

“Nothing really gets too high or too low for him. Someone catches the ball, it stays the same, it goes on the next play,” Jefferson said. “Even in big moments and big games, the lights aren’t too big.”

Jefferson later added: “When I was scouting this guy last year, I watched him in college and he was always a ball-playing guy. That’s kind of his thing, he’s a playmaker. I’m happy for him, I have to be.” Keep building on it.

Even when the lights get bright, the Bolts defense knows the rookie isn’t worried about it.

And that also applies to the biggest moments of the season so far.

“He’s not looking right now,” James said of Still. “It’s not like it’s the fourth quarter and he’s looking at the moment. He looks at it as the next play.”

“I promise you all, he’s confident, he’s smiling in the fourth quarter, he’s ready, he’s determined,” James added. “He said he would make the plays and he did that today.”