Champ Bailey is impact player

He and a teammate switched coverages and the game-changing play followed.
DENVER (AP) -- The stat line for Champ Bailey this season should read like this: 74 tackles, nine interceptions, two saves.
With the game and Denver's season in the balance Saturday night, Bailey made the game-changing play against New England, much as he did in Week 2 against San Diego when the Broncos were on the brink.
With Denver trailing, playing poorly and staring at an 0-2 start, Bailey stepped in front of a Drew Brees pass for an interception and touchdown that started a third-quarter rally. It led to a win that kept the Broncos from falling "so far behind the 8-ball, we would've been behind the pool table," in the words of defensive lineman Trevor Pryce.
Season-saver
Similarly, Bailey's interception and 100-yard return against Tom Brady and the Patriots last Saturday was a game-winner. Maybe a season-saver, too.
"You never know what's going to happen, but at that point, they had the opportunity to take the lead or pull within a point," Bailey said Monday. "That play definitely stopped some momentum and turned some things around."
It set up a touchdown that made it 17-6 en route to Denver's 27-13 victory.
And it was further evidence that Bailey is, undoubtedly, one of the most influential impact players in football.
"It's great," Bailey said. "I'll look back on it after the season and I'll think about it. But we're still playing football and I try not to dwell on it because it kind of clouds your vision for the week ahead."
Besides his play, his presence this year has helped Denver's three rookie cornerbacks progress at a surprisingly fast rate.
A lesson
"I've learned not to worry about one play," said second-round pick Darrent Williams. "Forget it and move onto the next play. He reminds me that I am a big-play threat. I'm trying to get to his level. He is a real smart, heady player. He has so much ability to begin with."
Bailey's big play Saturday was set up by abundant film study that led to an instinctive decision to swap coverage with Williams at the last second.
The Patriots would often stack receivers on the same side of the formation in an attempt to confuse corners in man coverage. Denver corners were beaten on that formation a few times earlier in the game. But with the Patriots at the Denver 5, the corners recognized what was coming at the line of scrimmage.
"Right before the play started, we looked at each other, gave a little signal to 'in-and-out' those two guys," Bailey said of his communication with Williams. "My guy came in, his guy went out. We switched. The ball came to me."
Paid for plays
Making the switch was a risk that went above and beyond the playbook, the kind that big-time players like Bailey get paid to take.
Forced to hurry his throw by blitzing safety Nick Ferguson, Brady tried to hit Troy Brown because it looked like Williams had left him open. Bailey was in mid-switch, though. He jumped the pass, picked it off and started his sprint, 100 yards down the sideline.
Naturally, he has been razzed for getting caught at the 1 -- by a tight end, no less.
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