Cowboyswire - Greener Pastures: Jeff Heath lives the goat life grazing passing lanes

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Greener Pastures: Jeff Heath lives the goat life grazing passing lanes

By: C.C. Boorman | 10 minutes ago

A goat, or . . . ?

Saying the name Jeff Heath to Cowboy fans will likely invoke either a mean eye roll or an all-knowing smirk. Despite some retaining ill will based on early returns, even his most ardent critic has to provide Heath well-deserved praise for how his career has taken an upward arc. For the Dallas faithful who have supported him, he’s now earned the right to playfully be referred to as The Goatd.



Heath’s career started inauspiciously as an undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State. His draft measurements however provided a peek at an underrated athletic profile.


The sullied version of Heath’s reputation was forged his rookie season against the Detroit Lions on Ford Field. Making his first start, in place of an injured J.J. Wilcox, he was facing the daunting task of supporting his fellow teammates to try and control the game’s most dominant wideout at the time, Calvin Johnson.

It did not end well as Johnson torched the Cowboys with 329 receiving yards.

One signature play from that game seemed to define him in the collective consciousness of fans that carried forward. Late in the contest, Johnson out-jumped Heath for a deep ball that signaled the beginning of a late Lions rally to the win. As a result, many labeled him the goat of the game in a 31-30 Dallas loss.

Since that tough debut, Heath has worked diligently to build on his craft and has gradually upped the level of his play. After solidifying himself as a core special teamer and then part-time contributor in sub-packages, Heath just kept making plays.

The famed part of Heath’s reputation has been forged in big moments and timely turnovers. Heath has led the Cowboys secondary in forced turnovers with nine over the last three seasons.

Heath’s monster game in the 2016 divisional playoffs against the Packers seemed to provide him a springboard for bigger and better things. His performance was nearly one for the ages after he recorded a pass deflection and two interceptions of Aaron Rodgers, although one was negated by penalty. Heath also had a violent blindside sack of Rodgers that nearly shifted the momentum were it not for the Packer QB’s strong grip on the football.

That performance provided the Dallas brass the confidence to allow Barry Church to depart in free agency and Heath’s story had a new chapter as a full-time starter.

Heath rewarded that faith in the 2017 campaign as he recorded 15 starts, racked up 55 solo stops to go along with three picks and two forced fumbles, not to mention filling in for Dan Bailey on kickoffs and field goals versus the 49ers.

Heath’s solid season was punctuated by several pivotal plays capping two of the team’s nine victories.

First, he ended the Chiefs’ matchup with an interception of Alex Smith, ending the latter’s march towards Tom Brady’s NFL record no-INT streak. To top that, he had back-to-back stops in a crucial Week 15 contest in Oakland.


After swatting the ball from the grasp of Michael Crabtree on 2nd and 3, Heath iced the game with hustling shove of Raiders QB Derek Carr at the goal line. The blow jolted the ball from Carr’s right hand, causing it to bound out of the end zone for a game-saving touchback. That remarkable moment that saved the day prompted a memorable post-game Tweet teammate Kavon Frazier.


It could be argued he is now the most clutch performer in a defensive backfield that has been bereft of playmakers in recent years.

Despite the ever-present nay-sayers that want more, it appears that Heath is on firm ground for the 2018 season as the odds-on favorite to start once again at strong safety. He is poised to be the leader and elder statesman of a very young and hungry secondary. It appears that patience from the organization and perseverance from the player have finally reaped rewards.
 
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