carry the ball

Idioms and Phrases

Take charge, advance a cause, as in In our lab any of the assistants can carry the ball . This usage comes from such sports as football, where the ball-carrying player gives the team yardage or a touchdown. By the early 1900s it was being transferred to other endeavors.

Example Sentences

Rookie Blake Corum, a third-round pick who did not carry the ball against the Lions, rushed for 28 yards in eight carries.

From Los Angeles Times

But an opportunist kick from Theo Dan gave Saracens the advantage, forcing Redpath to chase back and carry the ball over the line to gift them a scrum five metres out.

From BBC

"He would carry the ball back like a guided missile and had so many ways to beat the challenge of a defender," he said.

From BBC

Yes he was explosive, but he also possessed technique as well as vision and delighted with his ability to carry the ball in attack.

From BBC

McVay didn’t have to stick with Williams after he fumbled on a run inside the 10-yard line early in the second quarter, but Williams bounced back to carry the ball one yard for the Rams’ first touchdown and his eighth this season.

From Los Angeles Times