The Chicago Bears are simply playing out the string after another disastrous season as they take on the Green Bay Packers in the season finale. Chicago’s offense just never found a rhythm this year with rookie QB Caleb Williams at the helm, but for some reason they saved their best play for the last game of a lost season.
The Bears’ fake catch punt return trick play worked flawlessly vs. Packers
The Bears’ fake catch punt return trick play worked flawlessly vs. the Packers
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Midway through the first quarter, the Bears ran a trick play on a punt return, and produced a rare first quarter touchdown for Chicago. D.J. Moore set up as the return man, and moved to one of the sidelines to field the punt. As the Packers defenders ran at him, the ball was actually sailing to the opposite sideline, where gunner Josh Blackwell fielded the ball and ran 94 yards untouched for the score.
Watch Chicago’s brilliant trick play here:
Could the Bears have busted this one out sooner in the season? Chicago was 4-2 at one point before the Washington Commanders connected on a Hail Mary at the buzzer to steal a win. Chicago never recovered, and now they are set to hire a new coaching staff ahead of Williams’ second season.
My old friend Rodger Sherman once explained this play in great detail when the Bears used it against the Packers in 2011. Here’s what the Packers said after the Bears scored on it, but a flag wiped out the touchdown.
“That was the most incredible play I had ever seen in seven years,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after watching it all unfold from the sidelines. “I think everyone on the sidelines was wondering what the heck just happened as he was running down the sideline with two blockers in front of him. Honestly, that was the most incredible play that I have ever seen.”
Bears fans had seen this play before. Former special teams coordinator Dave Toub, who worked with Hall of Famer Devin Hester, was fond of this play. When the Bears scored, the fans immediately recognized the play as the Toub Special:
Here’s a breakdown of the play from next-gen stats:
Maybe running a trick play of their own is the Bears’ way of subtly courting Lions offensive coordinator and trick play king Ben Johnson as their new head coach? Chicago hopes so.
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