Trick play

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A trick play, also known as a gadget play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. Trick plays are highly risky, usually with a large potential for a loss of yards or turnover, but the payoff is often high with large gains and even touchdowns.

Trick Plays take advantage of the fact that nearly all American football plays are either a pass from the quarterback or a run by the halfback. As a result, defenses will think pass when the quarterback has the ball and run when the running back has it. Trick plays try to do something different in these situations. Trick plays are unusual plays, and therefore tend only to work if they are unanticipated.

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[edit] Common trick plays

Halfback pass. (See also Halfback option play) In this play the quarterback pitches the ball to a halfback as if it were an outside run, but instead of running up the field the halfback looks for an open receiver to pass the ball to. Teams that have a player who is both a skilled runner and passer use this play more often.

Wide receiver pass. Similar to the halfback pass, in this play the ball is given to the wide receiver on an end around or reverse, but instead of turning up field he looks for passing target (Which can, rarely, include the quarterback). Like the halfback pass, this play often utilizes a multi-skilled player; Antwaan Randle El is a wide receiver who played quarterback in college and is known for his ability to pass, throwing a 43 yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL. This play is also sometimes called a "Fake Reverse" because the play looks like a reverse until the wide receiver stops to throw downfield.

Fake punt. This play is fairly self-explanatory, but can take a number of different forms. Usually the punter will simply take the snap and look to throw, but more rarely the punter may run, or the ball may be snapped to someone else (usually a Halfback or fullback) who then runs down field or a quarterback who throws.

Fake field goal. As with a fake punt, there are a number of possibilities for a fake field goal. Usually the holder (The punter or backup quarterback on most teams) will throw or run as with the fake punt; more rarely the ball will be snapped or lateraled to the kicker, who then throws or runs. Danny White was both quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s and often executed this play.

End arounds, sweeps, and reverses. In all of these plays a receiver runs around the back of the offensive line and then on down the field. In an end around the ball is taken from the quarterback, usually after a play-action to the halfback. A reverse is basically the same, except that the ball is first pitched or handed to the halfback before being given to the receiver, who is running the other way (hence the term reverse). In this context, a sweep is a play where the quarterback hands the ball to a player other than the halfback or fullback, usually a tight end set up slightly behind the line of scrimmage.

Halfback direct plays. These are plays, usually run from shotgun formations, where someone other than quarterback takes the snap. (Usually the halfback, although it can be a receiver who is in the backfield after motion, for example). These plays are usually running plays, although they have been used as flea-flickers.

Reverse Flea Flicker As the name implies, it is a combination of a reverse and a flea-flicker. The ball is snapped to the quarterback who tosses the ball to a halfback who appears to run a toss, while a wide receiver runs the opposite way of the half back, The half back then laterals the ball to the wide receiver as if to run a WR reverse, the ball is than lateraled back to the Quarterback who throws the ball down to a usually wide open receiver, as his coverage has come up to stop the reverse.

[edit] Rarer trick plays

There are other types of trick play that are seen less often in professional games, but are more common at the high school and collegiate level. One such example is where the quarterback will pretend that he can’t hear the coach and start walking towards the sideline, the ball is then snapped to the running back as in a direct play (see above). This play takes advantage of the fact that you can have one player (In this case the quarterback) moving sideways or backward at the snap. The Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and St. Louis Rams have used a version of this trick play in the NFL.

An infamous trick play occurred in 1994, when Dan Marino’s Dolphins were playing the Jets. From the account of Pat Kirwan, former Jets defensive coach and executive, “[W]ith little time left, Marino had driven the Dolphins near our goal line and lined up as if he were going to spike the ball to stop the clock. But instead, he faked the spike, and as our defense let up for a split second, Marino threw the winning touchdown.” [1]

[edit] Plays containing laterals

There are a few trick plays that contain laterals, or the option to lateral the ball.

Double pass. This play appears to be a quick pass to a wide receiver, except the wide receiver is actually behind the quarterback, thus making the first pass a lateral. The wide receiver then throws the ball to a second, downfield target. This play takes advantage of the rule that only one forward pass may be thrown per play. In a variation of this play, the quarterback will skip the lateral to the receiver, who catches the ball off the bounce and, taking advantage of the defense thinking the play is dead because of an incomplete pass, either runs or passes the ball.

“Home run throwback.” This was the play used in the Music City Miracle, it is a kick return play, where a short kick is pitched back to a player who runs to one side before lateraling to the other side of the field.

Hook and ladder play. There are variations of this play, but the most common is to have two receivers on the same side of the field, one runs a curl pattern, catches the ball and pitches it straight back to the other who is running a streak pattern.

Note that The Play and the River City Relay are not considered trick plays, because the laterals involved were not part of the called play.

[edit] Other well-known trick plays

While the true extent of a trick play is only limited by the coaching staff’s imagination, there are several, more elaborate trick plays that have become highly popular among fans of the sport.

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