5 best interceptions of the 2015 NFL season

Every Wednesday until training camps open, theScore will reveal the best catches, interceptions, runs, defensive touchdowns, returns, game-winning touchdowns, hits, and Hail Marys.

Best Plays of 2015

• 5 best catches
• 5 best interceptions
• 5 best runs
• 5 best defensive touchdowns
• 5 best returns
• 5 best game-winning touchdowns
• 5 best hits
• 5 best Hail Marys​

The second installment of the series allows us to relive the five best interceptions of the 2015 season.

5. Josh Norman vs. Saints, Week 3

Josh Norman's ascension from above-average cornerback to All-Pro can be traced back to this play. Leading 27-22 with just over a minute left, Norman robs Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks of a game-winning touchdown, leaping backwards to pluck the ball out of mid-air. Norman continued to shut down a bevy of elite wideouts during the 2015 campaign, and no play better defines his outstanding year than this jaw-dropping grab.

4. Brian Cushing vs. Chiefs, wild-card round

Blanked 30-0 by the Chiefs, the Texans don't have many fond memories of their wild-card loss, but this play is an exception. Cushing displays outstanding awareness and concentration, sealing the ball after it ricochets off wide receiver Jeremy Maclin's hands. The Texans' standout linebacker swivels into the frame to locate the ball with precision, culminating in one of the interceptions of the year.

3. Nolan Carroll vs. Panthers, Week 7

Nolan Carroll proves why one should never give up on a play until the whistle is blown. Panthers receiver Ted Ginn appears to be down with the ball secure, but at the last possible moment, Carroll rips the ball out of his hands. As the ball pops out of the air, Carroll traps it against his arm while continuing to slide, a picturesque example of concentration and relentlessness.

2. Kony Ealy vs. Broncos, Super Bowl

It's rare to see a defensive lineman crack this type of list, but Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy broke the mold during Super Bowl 50. Much to Peyton Manning's surprise, Ealy drops back into the coverage after the snap and takes away a predetermined route concept. Manning erroneously believes Emmanuel Sanders to be wide open and attempts a strike downfield. Ealy isn't having any of it and does his best Odell Beckham Jr. impression by securing the ball with one hand, then sprints upfield for an unlikely 19-yard return.

1. Kiko Alonso vs. Falcons, Week 1

Matt Ryan threw a lot of questionable interceptions in 2015, but this isn't one of them. Roddy White is wide open, and the Falcons picked the correct route concept, but Kiko Alonso channels some kind of extraterrestrial force to hurdle backwards and record a sublime, one-handed interception. Alonso tore his ACL the following week, and the NFL community may have been deprived of some more awe-inspiring picks.