The play was a very simple one. A five-step drop by the quarterback and dump-off pass to the running back. The result defined a career.
On Dec. 5, 1982, the Falcons were in Denver to face the Brancos at Mile High Stadium.
On a their own 14-yard line in the third quarter, Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski dropped back into the pocket, looked downfield and then quickly threw in the left flat to William Andrews.
Andrews caught the ball at the 14 and was headed down the sideline when he met Broncos defensive back Steve Wilson at the 20. Andrews lowered his shoulder, knocked Wilson on his back, broke another tackle and then raced down to the Broncos 35 where he picked up a block from tight end Junior Miller and went the rest of the way untouched into the end zone.
“That is the play most people remember me for,” said Andrews, who rushed for 5,986 yards in his short six-year career which included a strike-shortened season and just 214 yards in his final season. “Everyone was covered downfield so Bart hit me on a dump pass. I took on (Wilson) with my right shoulder and he just bounced right off me. But I did get a great block downfield from Junior Miller which allowed me to score.”
During his time in the NFL, Andrews was known by many defenders to be hardest hitting running back, including 10-time All-Pro cornerback Ronnie Lott, who said the most vicious shot he received in his 14-year career came via the hard-running Andrews.
“I learned very early that to be a complete back, you had to learn how to block and catch passes,’’ said Andrews. “The blocking part made me such a more powerful runner. That play in Denver was probably the best example of it.’’
