The Punt That Chung Caught Over His Shoulder - Misdirection Play???

[slam]

BB and TB looked so cool, but those were some pretty desperate moments. They sent out 4 trick plays in that 4th quarter. I don't believe I've ever seen that happen in the last 17 years with this team.

A night that will live forever.

That Philadelphia game last year had a lot of trick plays, didn't it? Including the wacky kickoff that started the downfall, then a pass to Brady and I think 1 or 2 more when they were trying to get back into the game.

 

[Wordsmyth]

I said that in another thread. I think they were absolutely trying to run this play the Seahawks executed in 2015 and done a few times before.



It just takes one player on the other team to not be fooled for the play to not work.

Ricardo Shermania!

 

[1960Pats]

Chung didn't decide to do this on his own. The play was called by the sidelines. Desperate times.

I didn't think the play call was bad, it was a bad decision to try and catch it over his shoulder. He should have let it go.

 

[slam]

That's the play design. If you see the plays in the YouTube link above, you see that 2 of the 3 players who fielded the punt had their back to the field and caught it over their head. The Bears player was pretty much exactly in the position Chung was in on the sideline. It's just this time 1 guy wasn't fooled.

 

[gitgronked82]

I remember it exactly. I pointed it out when it happened. 90% sure jules actually yelled "Let it go! Let it go!"

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re Chung:
Thanks to the OP for pointing that out. Got lost for me and it looks like for a lot of others...including the announcers. I just thought it was an incredibly dangerous way to catch a kick...and get hit hard from behind inside the ten when you're already trailing by a couple hundred points. Thanks.
Lesson: probably too much to hope that all 11 guys on the Special Teams unit of an SB team are going to take their eye off the ball...but it was close, suggesting an almost, but not quite, complete breakdown in their coverage discipline.

Re Lewis:
I thought it was a good trick play when I saw it, but the D didn't fall for it. Still, it was definitely worth it. If it had worked, it would be a highlight reel for the ages play.

 

[brdmaverick]

OP (and bro) great catch...........I recall thinking that this play was super weird and that Chung's catch was 'super dangerous' as it had extreme risk and little reward. This all makes so much sense now.

You know who else wasn't really fooled was the camera man. Most us viewers didn't catch it because the cameraman did NOT make Edelman the focal point of the shot.

 

[slam]

It's really the greatest hidden play in the Super Bowl since 99% of people who watched didn't realize what they were watching. If the Falcons had hung on by a whisker, random special teamer #4 for the Falcons is the greatest unsung hero in Super Bowl history.