How Colts WR Alec Pierce ended up playing safety against Texans

INDIANAPOLIS — Alec Pierce has established himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers when it comes to going up and high-pointing the deep ball, getting his hands above everybody else to bring the ball down.

It’s a skill that makes him a natural at stopping a Hail Mary.

Pierce took the first defensive snap of his career in Sunday’s 20-16 loss to the Texans, playing back at safety for the final play of the first half. Houston tried a Hail Mary, Pierce broke hard on the ball and batted it away, getting to the ball so decisively that he probably wishes he’d picked it off.

Playing Pierce at safety in a Hail Mary situation was a no-brainer for defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

“Either catch it or knock it down,” Anarumo said. “Great volleyball player, a great receiver. To me, those guys are the best guys. We had Tee Higgins do it for us in Cincinnati. The guys that have got some length, can go up and get it, makes too much sense to me.”

For decades, the thinking on the Hail Mary was that defenders should try to bat the ball down instead of catching it, in order to minimize the chance of bobbling it into the air for a tip-drill touchdown.

But the opposite has actually proven itself true over the years. When a defender catches the ball, the play is over; a handful of deflections have ended up in the hands of receivers, answering the quarterback’s prayer.

“How many times have we seen that thing get tipped, it gets tipped up, and there’s a problem?” Anarumo said.

The first defensive play of Pierce’s career likely will not be his last.

“Sometimes that victory thing will be on the move and we won’t be able to substitute,” Anarumo said. “But if it is a stoppage, he’ll be out there.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How Colts WR Alec Pierce ended up playing safety against Texans