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80 days until kickoff: C.J. Spiller's shining moment is a walk off touchdown

ByDarrion Gray|
Oct 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Spiller (28) breaks the tackle of Dallas Cowboys strong safety Barry Church (42) to score the game-winning 80-yard touchdown in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won 26-20. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Spiller (28) breaks the tackle of Dallas Cowboys strong safety Barry Church (42) to score the game-winning 80-yard touchdown in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won 26-20. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are 80 days away from their season opener versus the Arizona Cardinals. 80 days may seem far, but football is essentially right around the corner. The NFL recently released the training camp release dates for veterans and rookies. That's a sign of just how close we are to the season.

As we continue our countdown to kickoff, we take a look back at the highlight of C.J. Spiller's Saints career, an 80-yard touchdown reception.

C.J. Spiller's only season was a disappointment

Spiller only spent a year with the Saints, playing 13 games. It was a disappointing trial run for the running back and the team. Spiller came over to New Orleans from the Buffalo Bills with high hopes. He was a good runner with the ability to catch the ball.

In the lone year spent in New Orleans, Spiller was more of a receiving threat than a runner. He never found his footing in the running game, only running the football 36 times in 2015. That was less than half of his previous career low. The year prior in Buffalo, Spiller had 78 rushing attempts despite playing only nine games.

It should come as no surprise that Spiller's 80-yard touchdown came through the air. Those 80 yards alone nearly matched his rushing total on the season.

C.J. Spiller takes it the distance for a walk off touchdown

Spiller's season wasn't memorable, but this play was. The Saints were enthralled in one of many intense games against the Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans gave up a touchdown in the last two minutes to tie up the game.

In typical Drew Brees fashion, he conducted a potentially game winning drive. It was all for nothing. Zach Hocker missed a chipshot field goal to win the game. Instead of taking the lead in the closing seconds, the game went to overtime.

It didn't take Spiller long to close out the matchup. The Saints got the ball first in overtime and Spiller scored two plays later. Brees recognized the Cowboys defense was unsettled and still communicating and snapped the football quickly. Spiller was running free down the field, broke the tackle of the safety at the catch point and was off to the races.

No one was catching Spiller after he shook free of the first defender. It was a dramatic game with an equally dramatic finish. Spiller's shining moment in the Black and Gold continues our countdown to kickoff.

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