BARRE - It didn’t show up in his stat line Thursday night, but record-setting wide receiver and central Vermont native David Ball snared a would-be touchdown that caught the attention of the NFL Network in the third quarter of the Chicago Bears’ final preseason game.
With the Bears driving and the ball just inside the 10 yard line quarterback Chris Leak heaved a pass to right side of the end zone. Ball made a leaping one-handed grab before tumbling out of bounds. Unfortunately, thanks in part to a nudge from the defender, Ball’s right foot came down out of bounds. Still the catch-that-wasn’t was ranked second on the NFL Network’s “Top 10 Plays” in this weekend’s preseason action.
That’s the good news. The bad news is on the very next play fellow rookie receiver Mike Hass, who is battling Ball for a spot on the Bears’ 53-man roster, did haul in a touchdown pass from Leak.
Ball, who survived the first round of cuts earlier this week, will learn whether he’ll make the team less than 24 hours from now.
