Worst fake punt in NFL history? Relive it with Indianapolis Colts who were there – Indianapolis Colts Blog- ESPN – ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts host the New England Patriots Saturday (8:15 ET, NFL Network) at Lucas Oil Stadium. The last time the Patriots visited the Colts it was another prime-time game on Oct. 18, 2015. It was hyped up as a rematch of the previous seasons AFC Championship game that the Patriots won 45-7. It was also the first meeting since Deflategate, when the Colts accused New England of lowering the air pressure of footballs in the AFC Championship game.

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By the time that game ended some six years ago, the Patriots left Lucas Oil Stadium 34-27 winners.

But the final score wasnt what everybody was talking about moments after the game or even years after it.

It was the play.

The play some call the worst fake punt attempt in NFL history.

The play that left some still wondering why they even attempted it.

Well always look back and shake our heads at that play, former Colts long snapper Matt Overton said.

The Colts, down 27-21 in the third quarter, had the ball fourth-and-3 at their own 37-yard line. They lined up in their normal punt formation before nine of the 11 players (including punter Pat McAfee) ran outside of the numbers, near the Colts' sideline, to try to get the Patriots to think they were running the offense back on the field to go for it.

Wide receiver Griff Whalen ran from the far side of the field and became the center with safety Colt Anderson lined up under center.

Matt Hasselbeck, former Colts quarterback: "We all went to the special teams meeting, so we all understood what the plan was. Trying to steal a possession. So instead of punting, trying to get a first down. Catch them with 12 guys on the field. Get them to waste a timeout. If we snap the ball and take a knee, they have 12 on the field, we get five yards and a first down. We werent trying to pull an Aaron Rodgers of snapping it and throw it deep where whatever happens, happens."

Chuck Pagano, former Colts coach (from 2015): "The whole idea there was on fourth-and-3 or less, we shift to an alignment to where we could catch them misaligned. They tried to sub some people in. Catch them with more men on the field -- 12 men on the field. And if you get a certain look, you have 3 [or] 2 yards to make a play. We shifted over and I didn't do a good enough job coaching it during the week."

It turns out the Colts did snap the ball, which was supposed to happen only if the Patriots tried to substitute -- but New England didnt sub. In fact, the Patriots didnt fall for the play. Whalen snapped the ball to Anderson, who was immediately tackled for a loss.

Collinsworth: "Uh-oh."

Michaels: "Yeah. Now we've got ... on a fourth down and 3 ... you got Griff Whalen ready to take the snap.

"He'll snap it. Actually, Colt Anderson is behind him."

Collinsworth: "What. The. Heck?"

Michaels: "And ... w-what in the world? Flag is down. You tell me."

Collinsworth: "I thought maybe they were trying to get them to jump offsides? ... Theres absolutely no way possible that they should have snapped that ball and tried to sneak it That was insane. A guy on either side of them. What are you doing here? Dont even try to run the play. Weve seen a lot of bizarre stuff. Ive never seen anything more bizarre than that. What was the plan?

Michaels: "I dont know. Completely nuts."

Referee Tony Corrente: "Illegal formation. The whole right side of the line was not on the line of scrimmage. Offense. This penalty is declined. The result of the play is first down for New England."

DQwell Jackson, former Colts linebacker: "My reaction was, What the hell are we doing? I was clueless and confused as everyone that wasnt a part of that play. I had no idea. ...

"At that moment, it was either way in that game. When we had that momentum, that was a sudden change that I had never been a part of, playing in little league, high school, college and the pros. I had never seen that before. Just an epic failure on our part of not executing what we were trying to do."

Pat McAfee, former Colts punter (on Pat McAfee Show, 2019): "It was the perfect situation. We had practiced it all week. The offense comes off the field and wait very visibly on the sideline. The object was the punt team goes on the field, makes it look like were punting, and then all at once everyone sprints and makes it look like were going off the field to bring the offense back on the field. In turn trying to Patriots the Patriots ...

"The left gunner, the person who was supposed to snap the ball (Clayton Geathers), got sick or something [Geathers left with a knee injury]. No worries, lets keep this incredible strategy because we have a guy named Griff Whalen, who is a Stanford guy Griff Whalen was our ultimate utility guy you can trust.

"So, unbeknownst to Griff Whalen, while Colt Anderson was jogging on the field, a coach says to him, If theyre not in the sub thing, since were taking a penalty anyways, try to draw them offsides. That message was not relayed to Griff Whalen, who was reading the playbook and was told if somebody gets under center, snap the ball.

"So once Colt Anderson sees theyre not subbing -- they actually covered it perfectly because they are the New England Patriots -- he tries to draw them offsides. Then out of nowhere, something none of us thought was going to happen, the unfathomable, the worst play in football happens at that moment, and its as easy as two miscommunications there. Easy as the gunner getting sick the day before."

Matt Overton, former Colts long snapper: "Honestly, I got a lot of questions from people asking why I snapped the ball, because they thought I was doing it. Players and coaches asking why I snapped the ball goes to show how chaotic it was and we were not on the same page. Became one of those plays that became a disaster for us in a game that was really close. We gave them a short field, [they] scored on that drive. Huge momentum swing."

Darius Butler, former Colts defensive back: "Coming from New England and knowing how much they harp about going over situational football. They have hybrid-type teams on defense, where they can handle defense or special teams. The Patriots are the best at that. If theres one team you wouldnt catch in a substitute error or with their pants down, it would be the Patriots."

Pagano (after the game): "We shifted over, and I didn't do a good enough job coaching it during the week. Alignment wise, we weren't lined up correctly, and we had a communication breakdown between the quarterback and snapper. That's on me."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick (after the game): "We expected this to be a gadget game in the kicking game -- the onside kick, some kind of fake, fake punt, fake field goal. We didn't know what the play was going to be, obviously, but they went on the swinging-gate-type play, and we went over to the overshift and made sure we covered the inside part and we reacted well to it. So it was a heads up play by our punt return unit."

The Patriots are usually one of the most prepared teams in the NFL, which is why theyve won six Super Bowls under Belichick. The odds of the Colts catching them off guard were not very high. The Patriots took advantage of the short field to score a touchdown six plays later to take a 34-21 lead.

McAfee (on Pat McAfee Show, 2019): "They covered it perfectly because they are the New England Patriots Im even as befuddled as everybody else because, unlike Colt Anderson, none us were told the hard count was coming. Whenever youre trying to out Patriot the Patriots, if that play works, we're talking about it on a complete other side: Remember that one time the Colts outsmarted the New England Patriots?

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"But instead, the complete opposite has happened, it is known as the worst football play in history. My guy Griff Whalen is now known as the worst center in NFL history. Colt Anderson has one quarterback snap and its 3-yard loss Im waiting every single week for some buffoon to draw up a worse play so we dont have to get referenced."

Butler: "It was utter shock that they snapped the ball. Going into that week, I already had a bad feeling about it. Thats part of the reason that a lot of teams lose to the Patriots, because Belichick, he kinds of mind f---s you. You start to over prepare and start doing things out of your character and things like that. You cant out slick the slickster.

"I had a bad feeling from the jump. Theyre not going to make a lot of mistakes It went wrong, and Chuck stood up there and took accountability for it like a good leader would. It was on Chuck to give the green light to go for it, but its on the players to execute it."

Hasselbeck: "Count me as one in favor of it when we were in the meeting, and how we're going to do it and get the possession with 12 men on the field. Theres really no risk here. The one scenario that didnt feel like would happen was we snap the ball and take a knee.

"Really, really good idea with a terrible, terrible execution. Looking back, you can see why it happened. It was a bad look."

Jackson: "I was so pissed that we had played such a good football game in every phase. Just one silly play cost us the game. It was embarrassing for everyone to be a part of that. I just dont understand why the hell he snapped the ball. I couldnt talk to my phone for like an hour after the game. I was so pissed. Took me to have a drink and decompress."

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Worst fake punt in NFL history? Relive it with Indianapolis Colts who were there - Indianapolis Colts Blog- ESPN - ESPN