At least Penei Sewell tried.
On a 1st-and-10 at Chicago's 24-yard line, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff faked a handoff to running back David Montgomery before flipping the ball to Sewell.
The offensive tackle was ready to briefly turn into a QB before he realized no one was open downfield. He was then pushed out of bounds for a loss of one yard.
Penei Sewell tried it
— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2024
: #CHIvsDET on CBS/Paramount+
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Had Penei Sewell actually thrown a pass, it would have been the first pass attempt by an offensive lineman since my guy @SaturdayJeff threw this frozen rope back in 2004:https://t.co/RpMmxo6dC0 https://t.co/UAIfG4O4Aa
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 28, 2024
The failed trick play didn't prevent the Lions from scoring. Detroit kicker Jake Bates made a 30-yard field-goal attempt with 7:06 left in the first quarter, giving the Lions a 3-0 lead.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are considered two of the most aggressive coaches in football. Unsurprisingly, they were probably trying to catch the Bears off guard in the Lions' annual Thanksgiving game.
While the duo has designed several successful trick plays in the past, perhaps Campbell and Johnson should put this one on the shelf.
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