Idea for a trick play

[Hunter2_1]

Someone with a better understanding of laws might be able to veto this one immediately, but how about this for a defensive trick play;

Fake 12th man

It would involve a player (11th) sprinting to the touchline, feigning a panicked 12th man getting off the field before snap. QBs tend to get the snap off when they see this, and put up a risky throw, knowing it's a free play. Brady threw a ridiculous pick vs NO because he knew it was a free play. So, maybe the 11th (and legal) player could sprint to the touchline (whilst remaining onside) to bait the interception? 

[beezee]

The risk vs reward doesn't make it a good idea at all.  You're essentially trading a defender for the slight chance that one of your other 10 is able to come down with it?  Yes, QBs often consider it a free play, but that also often lends itself to them taking a deep shot against 10 defenders which is always a benefit to the offense.  Not to mention, a lot of good QBs would recognize when a player is missing.  They'll come out, see what package it is and then magically a DL is gone?  Or a LB?  And after maybe just 1 time, they'll figure it out easily and just target the missing player.

So in the end, there's really only going to be 1 shot to do it and the chances of the QB actually making that INT vs. a big play is not worth the risk.

[Hunter2_1]

4 hours ago, beezee said:

The risk vs reward doesn't make it a good idea at all.  You're essentially trading a defender for the slight chance that one of your other 10 is able to come down with it?  Yes, QBs often consider it a free play, but that also often lends itself to them taking a deep shot against 10 defenders which is always a benefit to the offense.  Not to mention, a lot of good QBs would recognize when a player is missing.  They'll come out, see what package it is and then magically a DL is gone?  Or a LB?  And after maybe just 1 time, they'll figure it out easily and just target the missing player.

So in the end, there's really only going to be 1 shot to do it and the chances of the QB actually making that INT vs. a big play is not worth the risk.

Good answer.

[Crickett]

If we're talking about trick plays we'd like to see, I'd like to see a team try a flea flicker on a third and inches situation where they are in a goal line formation.  Have someone like Jordan Reed "whiff" on a block and start running down field. 

[Hunter2_1]

13 hours ago, Crickett said:

If we're talking about trick plays we'd like to see, I'd like to see a team try a flea flicker on a third and inches situation where they are in a goal line formation.  Have someone like Jordan Reed "whiff" on a block and start running down field. 

Would they be on the goal line? If so, the RB could get swallowed because you often get good penetration on the GL. If it's in midfield though, it should work. The D might be on alert though if a team lined up in goal line on the 45. 

[Crickett]

1 hour ago, Hunter2_1 said:

Would they be on the goal line? If so, the RB could get swallowed because you often get good penetration on the GL. If it's in midfield though, it should work. The D might be on alert though if a team lined up in goal line on the 45. 

Couldn't be on the goal line. I don't think the TE would have enough room for this to work.   The idea would be to use it in a third and inches or fourth and inches situation. 

[fraziafraze07]

I'm fairly certain that both the NFL and college football have rules that prevent teams from trying to simulate substitution patterns. 

After an offense substitutes, the defense is allowed to substitute personnel to match up with what they are seeing from the offense.  So if an offense starts running a player off like that, technically, the ref should hold up the snap so that the defense could react.  I'm not positive exactly what the dynamics are in this situation, but I'm fairly certain there's a penalty for what you're proposing.

[Jlowe22]

2 minutes ago, fraziafraze07 said:

I'm fairly certain that both the NFL and college football have rules that prevent teams from trying to simulate substitution patterns. 

After an offense substitutes, the defense is allowed to substitute personnel to match up with what they are seeing from the offense.  So if an offense starts running a player off like that, technically, the ref should hold up the snap so that the defense could react.  I'm not positive exactly what the dynamics are in this situation, but I'm fairly certain there's a penalty for what you're proposing.

He's talking about a defensive player running to the sidelines as if he's the 12th man trying to hurry off the field.  The opposing QB sees this, thinks there are 12 men on the field, and throws a risky pass that gets intercepted.  It doesn't get overturned because there are not 12 men on the field.  I don't think it would be a good idea though, because it depends on the opposing QB just heaving it up like Brady did last Sunday.  He just as easily run a legitimate play, and you have your 11th man out of position for it.

[fraziafraze07]

20 minutes ago, Jlowe22 said:

He's talking about a defensive player running to the sidelines as if he's the 12th man trying to hurry off the field.  The opposing QB sees this, thinks there are 12 men on the field, and throws a risky pass that gets intercepted.  It doesn't get overturned because there are not 12 men on the field.  I don't think it would be a good idea though, because it depends on the opposing QB just heaving it up like Brady did last Sunday.  He just as easily run a legitimate play, and you have your 11th man out of position for it.

Whoops.  Totally glossed over that.  

[paul-mac]

Is there such a thing as a trick play by the defense? 

[Jlowe22]

8 minutes ago, paul-mac said:

Is there such a thing as a trick play by the defense? 

It's hard to run "trick plays"  when you don't control where the ball goes.  You constantly try to bait the QB and disguise what you're doing, but just like in this particular play, at the end of the day, the defense can't control what the QB does with the ball.

[JaguarCrazy2832]

I think the risk/reward is slanted way to far on the offense side. If the defense manages to have the offense "fall for it" you're assuming the QB 1st throws a pick or an ill-advised throw but also completely misses a likely wide open target deep. I assume you're running a DB off so likely the secondary doesn't have enough guys to cover

[Hunter2_1]

10 hours ago, JaguarCrazy2832 said:

I think the risk/reward is slanted way to far on the offense side. If the defense manages to have the offense "fall for it" you're assuming the QB 1st throws a pick or an ill-advised throw but also completely misses a likely wide open target deep. I assume you're running a DB off so likely the secondary doesn't have enough guys to cover

Doesn't have to be a DB. Make it a LB so it's really noticeable.