Fake field goal

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A fake field goal is a trick play in American football. Simply, it involves a running or passing play done out of a kick formation. Usually the holder (often the punter or backup quarterback) will throw or run. Less frequently, the placekicker, who virtually never handles the ball in an American football game, will serve as the passer or rusher on a fake field goal.

During a fake field goal, most teams will choose one of two different alignment options. The first one is out of the normal field goal formation. The holder receives the snap and can either pitch it to the kicker, throw it during a designed pass play, or run the ball themselves. The second option is to shift into a special formation. Out of these special formations, multiple plays can be brought to the field.

There are a few of advantages to running a fake field goal or extra point. First, if it is a field goal, you have the chance to either score a touchdown or extend a drive for your team. If it is an extra point conversion, you have the chance of scoring two points instead of one.

Danny White was both quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s and often executed this play. Examples include then-New England kicker Adam Vinatieri receiving a direct snap and throwing a touchdown pass during an NFL game in 2004, and LSU kicker Colt David rushing for a 15-yard touchdown in 2007 after receiving the ball on a blind lateral from holder (and starting quarterback) Matt Flynn. [1]

Not every fake field goal play call results in an attempted trick play. In the Week 8 2014 game between the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Colts staff had scouted through film study, that the Steelers’ usual kick block formation when the ball was close to the end zone and on the left hash mark, would not be able to prevent the holder from running the ball in for a touchdown. Such a situation developed with one second left on the clock in the second quarter. However, instead of lining up a normally, Troy Polamalu, an eight-time Pro-Bowl and 6 time All-Pro safety, shifted from his usual position to the other side, filling the gap where holder Pat McAfee intended to run the ball. McAfee noticed this, and aborted the trick play, calling for Adam Vinatieri to kick a normal kick, which he made to score three points. [2]

Related Research Articles

This is a glossary of terms used in Canadian football. The Glossary of American football article also covers many terms that are also used in the Canadian version of the game.

  1. Legally positioned at the kick-off or the snap. On kick-offs, members of the kicking team must be behind the kick-off line; members of the receiving team must be at least 10 yards from the kick-off line. On scrimmages, at the snap the offence must be behind the line of scrimmage; the defence must be at least one yard beyond the line of scrimmage.
  2. A player of the kicking team who can legally recover the kick. The kicker and any teammates behind the ball at the time of the kick are onside. Thus on kick-offs all players of the kicking team are onside, but on other kicks usually only the kicker is. The holder on a place kick is not considered onside.
  1. A defensive position on scrimmages, also called free safety. Typical formations include a single safety, whose main duty is to cover wide receivers. See also defensive back.
  2. A two-point score. The defence scores a safety when the offence carries or passes the ball into its own goal area and then fails to run, pass, or kick the ball back into the field of play; when this term is used in this sense, it is also referred to as a safety touch.

Strategy is a major part of American football.

The National Football League playoffs for the 2003 season began on January 3, 2004. The postseason tournament concluded with the New England Patriots defeating the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, 32–29, on February 1, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The National Football League playoffs for the 1996 season began on December 28, 1996. The postseason tournament concluded with the Green Bay Packers defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI, 35–21, on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holder (gridiron football)</span> American football position

In gridiron football, the holder is the player who receives the snap from the long snapper during field goal or extra point attempts made by the placekicker. The holder is set on one knee seven yards behind the line-of-scrimmage. Before the play begins, the holder places the hand which is closest to the placekicker on the ground in a location designated by the kicker's foot, with their forward hand ready to receive the snap. After receiving the snap, the holder will place the football on the turf, or block, ideally with the laces facing the uprights and the ball accurately placed where the backhand was initially, then balancing the ball with one or two fingers until the ball is kicked.

A trick play, also known as a gadget play, gimmick play or trickeration, is a play in gridiron football that uses deception and unorthodox tactics to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or a touchdown if it is successful, but with the chance of a significant loss of yards or a turnover if not. Trick plays are rarely used not only because of the riskiness, but also to maintain the element of surprise for when they are used.

The National Football League playoffs for the 2006 season began on January 6, 2007. The postseason tournament concluded with the Indianapolis Colts defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, 29–17, on February 4, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 New England Patriots season</span> 47th season in franchise history

The 2006 season was the New England Patriots' 37th in the National Football League (NFL), their 47th overall and their seventh under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 55th season in franchise history; last at the RCA Dome

The 2007 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 24th in Indianapolis and the 6th season under head coach Tony Dungy. The defending AFC and Super Bowl champions improved upon their 12–4 record from 2006 as well as won their fifth-straight AFC South Championship. They finished the season 13–3 and lost to the San Diego Chargers in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Colts remained under the supervision of head coach Tony Dungy and played all of their home games in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. 2007 was the Colts' final season in the RCA Dome, as they began playing home games in Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008. In early January 2007 the Colts were the co-favorites to win Super Bowl XLII, along with the San Diego Chargers.

The 2007 Oakland Raiders season was the 48th overall season of the Oakland Raiders franchise, the franchise's 38th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 13th season since their return to Oakland and the 1st season under head coach Lane Kiffin. The team finished the season with a 4–12 record. It began with the team's fourth head coach in six seasons.

The 1996 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 27th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 37th overall. They finished with a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished first in the AFC East division. After a disappointing 1995 season, Drew Bledsoe bounced back with 4,086 passing yards and threw 27 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions while Curtis Martin had another Pro Bowl season. The team would win the divisional and conference championship by double-digit margins, however, the team lost Super Bowl XXXI to the Green Bay Packers 35–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 New England Patriots season</span> 44th season in franchise history; second Super Bowl win

The 2003 season was the New England Patriots' 34th in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th overall, and their fourth under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a league-best and franchise-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 New England Patriots season</span> 45th season in franchise history; third Super Bowl win

The 2004 season was the New England Patriots' 35th in the National Football League (NFL), their 45th overall and their fifth under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with their second consecutive 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years, and their last until 2014. They were, until the 2023 Kansas City Chiefs did so in Super Bowl LVIII, the most recent team to repeat as NFL Champions, and only the second to win 3 Super Bowls in a 4-year span.

The 2000 Buffalo Bills season was the team's 41st and 31st as part of the National Football League. The Bills total offense ranked 9th in the league and their total defense ranked 3rd in the league. The 2000 season was the first since the 1987 season that long-time Bills players Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas were not on the team together, as all were released just days after the Bills were eliminated from the 1999 playoffs. Smith and Reed signed with the Redskins, while Thomas signed with the Dolphins. The Buffalo Bills finished in fourth place in the AFC East and finished the National Football League's 2000 season with a record of 8 wins and 8 losses. Though the Bills were 7–4 after eleven games, they lost their next four in a row, only avoiding a losing season in the final game of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Tennessee Titans season</span> 44th season in franchise history

The 2003 Tennessee Titans season was the team's 44th season and their 34th in the National Football League. At 12–4 the Titans posted the 15th season with at least ten wins in the franchise's history dating to their Houston Oilers days. Quarterback Steve McNair threw for 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns to just seven interceptions; he also rushed for 138 yards and four touchdowns, all despite missing two games to injury, and was named the NFL's co-MVP with Peyton Manning of the Titans' division arch-rival Indianapolis Colts. Eddie George rushed for 1,031 yards and five touchdowns while Derrick Mason had 1,303 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Justin McCareins had 586 punt/kick return yards and a return touchdown.

The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see Glossary of Canadian football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 58th season in franchise history; final one with Peyton Manning

The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 58th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell. The defending AFC champions were looking to repeat as AFC champions and win it all in Super Bowl XLV to end their four-year championship drought. It was also the final season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback, as he would sit out the next season due to a neck injury and would be released by Indianapolis on March 7, 2012. Manning's last game as a Colt was on January 8, 2011, a 17–16 loss to the New York Jets in the Wild Card Round and would sign with the Denver Broncos a year later, on March 20, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida–LSU football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Florida–LSU football rivalry, is an American college football rivalry between the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida and LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State University. Although both universities were founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in December 1932, the Gators and Tigers did not meet on the gridiron until 1937, and have been annual opponents only since 1971. When the SEC instituted divisional play in 1992, Florida was placed in the SEC Eastern Division and LSU in the Western Division, and Florida and LSU were selected as permanent cross-division rivals. The Gators and Tigers have combined to win five national championships and eleven SEC titles over the past two decades.

The Miracle at the Met refers to the Minnesota Vikings' comeback win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 15 of the 1980 NFL season. The Vikings trailed 23–9 in the fourth quarter, but won after Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer passed for two touchdowns to wide receiver Ahmad Rashad in the last two minutes, including a 46-yard Hail Mary pass caught with one hand on the last play of the game. The final play is also known as the "Miracle Catch." The Vikings won, 28–23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colts Catastrophe</span> Unsuccessful trick play in American football

The Colts Catastrophe was an unsuccessful National Football League (NFL) trick play attempted by the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots on October 18, 2015. It occurred near the end of the third quarter in the teams' Week 6 game of the 2015 NFL season.

References

  1. ↑ Prewitt, Morgan. "Throwback: Former LSU kicker David reflects on 2007 fake field goal against South Carolina". lsunow.com. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  2. ↑ Pat McAfee's YouTube commentary
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