TheGodInAGreyHoodie

The defense thread got me thinking..... Has anybody ever faked going for it and then punted instead.

Here is how I envision it working. You would need a FB that can punt.

4 and short, the regular offense goes in. Lines up in the shotgun, with the FB behind and slight to the right or left of the QB. Center snaps the ball to the FB. Who boots it as far as possible down the middle of the field.

Why not just use a regular punting team? Well, if the defense is not expecting a punt on 4th and 5 they are going to be expecting either a short pass or run. The idea here is the ball would sail over the safeties head resulting in a punt that has zero run back.

Thoughts? Am I nuts? As anybody already tried this?

__________________
Citing the Bible as proof of God is like citing comic books to prove the existence of Superman.

jmt57

Sure. Elway was a master at that type of play with his pooch punts, pinning the opponent inside the 20.

Boston Jay

Brady has pooch-punted before. An FB like Lo Neal punting would be hilarious.

dhamz

Happens fairly often. It is called the pooch punt.

The Pats have successfully done it with both Vinateri and Tom Brady doing the punting in the BB era.

Hardboiled

I thought about that in the SB on our 4th down.

Pats726

Can happen does...at the right moment..pooch punting..GREAT startegy..

Coast2CoastPatsFan

Tom Brady did this in a 12/03 home game vs. Miami, which pinned the Dolphins back inside their five-yard line. It turned out to be a great decision as soon after Tedy Bruschi picked off a pass and waltzed into the end zone to seal a game which clinched the division for the Pats.

__________________
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing"--Vince Lombardi
"It is what it is"--Bill Belichick

GostkowSKI

I vaguely recall the Pats pooch-punting against the Jets in '94. They lined up for a long FG attempt, snapped it directly to Bahr who pinned them down inside their 5. That next set of downs the Pats had a pick 6 to seal the game. Can anyone help fill in the holes in my story?

CheerforTom

If you watch the '03 America's Game there's a great little feature on that play, complete with footage of them practicing it and Brady screaming "I'm the best punter on this team!" and a cut to Rodney just shaking his head.

blackglass3

I would have loved to see Ironhead Heyward try a punt in his heyday!