There's a moment of orderly silence before a football play begins. Players are in...

[first lines] Leigh Anne Touhy: There's a moment of orderly silence before a football play begins. Players are in position, linemen are frozen, and anything is possible. Then, like a traffic accident, stuff begins to randomly collide. From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bones, closer to 4 seconds than 5. [video rewinds] Leigh Anne Touhy: One-mississippi - Joe Theismann, the Redskins quarterback takes the snap and hands-off to his running mate. Two-mississippi - it's a trick play, a flea-flicker. And the running back tosses it back to the quarterback. Three-mississippi - up 'til now the play's been defined by what the quarterback sees; it's about to be defined by what he doesn't. Four-mississippi - Lawrence Taylor is the best defensive player in the NFL. And has been from the time he walked onto the fielded as a rookie. He will also change the game of football as we know it... Legendary quarterback Joe Theismann never played another down of football. Leigh Anne Touhy: Now, y'all would guess that more often than not, the highest paid player on an NFL team is the quarterback. And you'd be right. But what you probably don't know is that more often than not, the second highest paid player is, thanks to Lawrence Taylor, a left tackle. Because, as every housewife knows, the first check you write is for the mortgage, but the second is for the insurance. The left tackle's job is to protect the quarterback from what he can't see coming. To protect his blind side.

[CROWD CHEERING IN DISTANCE] LElGH ANNE: There's a moment oforderly silence before a football play begins. Players are in position, linemen are frozen, and anything is possible. ANNOUNCER [ON TV]: Almost Indian-summer weather here in mid-November. [WHlSTLE BLOWS] LElGH ANNE: Then, like a traffic accident, stuff begins to randomly collide. From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bone... ...is closer to four seconds than five. ANNOUNCER: First and 10. Riggins, flea flicker back to Theismann. Theismann's in a lot of trouble. [TAPE REWlNDlNG] LElGH ANNE: One Mississippi. Joe Theismann, the Redskins' quarterback... ...takes the snap and hands off to his running back. ANNOUNCER: First and 1 0. Riggins-- LElGH ANNE: Two Mississippi. It's a trick play, a flea flicker... ...and the running back tosses the ball back to the quarterback. ANNOUNCER: Flea flicker back to Theismann. LElGH ANNE: Three Mississippi. Up to now, the play's been defined by what the quarterback sees. lt's about to be defined by what he doesn't. Four Mississippi. Lawrence Taylor is the best defensive player in the NFL... ...and has been from the time he stepped onto the field as a rookie. ANNOUNCER: Theismann's in a lot of trouble. And it was Lawrence Taylor... ...who slammed Theismann to the ground at the 42-yard line. The blitz was on.... LElGH ANNE: He will also change the game of football as we know it. ANNOUNCER: We'll look at it with the reverse angle one more time. And l suggest if your stomach is weak, you just don't watch. LElGH ANNE: Legendary quarterback Joe Theismann... ...never played another down of football. Now, y'all would guess that, more often than not... ...the highest paid player on an NFL team is a quarterback... ...and you'd be right. But what you probably don't know is, more often than not... ...the second highest paid player is, thanks to Lawrence Taylor, a left tackle. Because as every housewife knows, the first check you write is for the mortgage... ...but the second is for the insurance. And the left tackle's job is to protect the quarterback from what he can't see coming. To protect his blind side. The ideal left tackle is big, but a lot of people are big. He's wide in the butt and massive in the thighs. He has long arms, giant hands and feet as quick as a hiccup. This is a rare and expensive combination... ...the need for which can be traced to that Monday night game and Lawrence Taylor. For on that day, he not only altered Joe Theismann's life... ...but mine as well. WOMAN: Mr. Oher. Mr. Oher. Do you understand? Do you know why l'm here? To investigate? Yes. To investigate. I'm here to investigate your odd. . .predicament. Do you find it odd, your predicament? Michael? I don't know. -Can l--? Can l leave now? -No, you can't. [INDlSTlNCT CHATTER]