Goal-line Pass

Normally defensive players in the NFL don't play a single offensive snap. But linebacker Mike Vrabel has seven career regular-season pass receptions... and seven touchdowns. So when the Patriots form up on the one-yard line with Vrabel lined up as the left TE, he draws a bit of attention.

In this play from week 6 there was also a Patriots defensive player in the offensive backfield, linebacker Junior Seau who was lined up just behind the QB. Seau was in front of fullback Heath Evans who was in the HB spot. At the snap, Brady fakes the handoff to Evans, and he and Seau head for the right C gap (between the tackle and tight end). This draws three of the Cowboys' linebackers towards that hole.





Meanwhile, TE Kyle Brady has chipped one of the Cowboys' linebackers and released into the back of the end zone. Since the Cowboys were so concerned with Vrabel, both the SS and a LB had drifted over to cover him. That left Kyle Brady wide open.

In other words, a linebacker acted as a decoy for a tight end. Play-action pass from Brady to Brady and New England took over the lead and held it for the rest of the game.

Smoke Pass

This play took place during the 2nd quarter of the Bengals week 4 loss to the Patriots. Until this point the Bengals had employed a balanced attack of 7 rushes and 7 passes, but they were trailing the Patriots 10-0. Chad Johnson had only been targeted once, with most of the passes being either short stuff to WRs or dump-offs to RBs.

This drive started with three Kenny Watson runs for 8, 3, and 2 yards. The Bengals had reserve guard Scott Kooistra in the game as an extra right tackle and were using the no-huddle to push the pace of the game.





The Patriots had a 3-3-5 nickel package on the field, but in this play they responded to the Kenny Watson runs by stacking eight players along the line of scrimmage, with the three cornerbacks playing 10 yards off their men.

Carson Palmer noticed how big a cushion the RCB (Ellis Hobbs) was giving Johnson, and the two made eye contact before the snap. That seemed to be enough to change the play from the run they had called, to a short "smoke" pass. Johnson started to sprint off the line, but then stopped after one yard and received a pass from Palmer, who had simply taken the snap and thrown immediately. Johnson then used his athleticism to make Hobbs miss in the open field, and was only brought down on the 1 yard line by the FS (Eugene Wilson).