Ameer Abdullah rewards Jaguars' trust with game-defining play vs. Eagles

The Jacksonville Jaguars came close to losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. Down 17-16 late in the fourth quarter, they were against the ropes. But instead of throwing in the towel, the Jags pulled through to win 19-17 with Cam Little's 52-yard walk-off field goal.

Of course, Little wouldn't have been in position to nail the game-winning kick if running back Ameer Abdullah hadn't put him in field-goal range, which is precisely what he did when he returned a kickoff 53 yards with 0:08 left on the clock.

Although Abdullah only touched the ball three times on three returns throughout the whole game, he most definitely came up clutch when Jacksonville needed him the most.

The Jaguars were thrilled to have Ameer Abdullah against the Eagles

Liam Coen held a media availability session after the win over Philadelphia. He talked about everything Ameer Abdullah does to be ready on game day, noting that he's thrilled to have him on the team.

"That is that dude. That guy is one of the first in the building every single day, him and Parker [Washington]," Coen told the press corps after the win (6:30 mark). "Ameer, to get in our building this spring, Ameer had four, five votes to be a captain. I mean, he made such an impression on this team right away, right from the beginning."

Coen continued, "He takes care of his body, takes care of his mind. He prepares to be a starter. He's been one of the best human being, and a guy that I cannot say enough about has gone through so much in this last six months, actually. And I pray for him. I love him to death. I'm so happy that he's a Jaguar, and I'm very proud of him today."

This is Abdullah's first year with the Jags. A second-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2015, the veteran running back also played for the Las Vegas Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Carolina Panthers before landing in Duval in the offseason. At the time, he seemed like a long shot to make the team.

However, Abdullah made such a strong impression in the preseason that he managed to lock up a roster spot. And while he's had limited opportunities, the former Nebraska Cornhusker made the most of them, toting the rock 10 times for 45 yards. Similarly, he's been a staple of special teams, returning six kicks for 166 yards.

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The Jaguars have an unsung here in Ameer Abdullah

The reason Ameer Abdullah's success with Jacksonville stands out is that he's been in the NFL for 12 yards. Sure, being 33 years old is young by most standards, but running backs have a short shelf life. That Abdullah has managed to stick around goes on to show just how productive he's been. Sure, he's never posted elite numbers, but that doesn't take anything away from his success.

With the Jaguars, Abdullah has carved out a nice niche in their backfield and on special teams. And that's the thing, not everybody on your team can be an All-Pro. You need utility players who can do the dirty work.

Ameer Abdullah has definitely filled that role. He's without a doubt everything the Jags bargained for and then some.

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