If a punt returned for a touchdown is called back because of a penalty, did it really happen? When it's as awesome as Johnny Knox's nullified TD set up by a masterful subterfuge by Devin Hester, such cliched philosophical analogies matter not:
Watch as Hester makes every Green Bay Packers special teamer, both announcers and the cameraman think he's getting ready to return a Tim Masthy punt on the left side of the field while, in fact, Johnny Knox was actually settling under it 30 yards away:
That's something out of "The Prestige!" It's so devious, yet so simple! I'm going to choose to forget that it was called back because of a penalty.
My only concern: Why waste such a great turn at trickery when down 10 points with under a minute to go in the game? Even if it hadn't been called back because of penalty, the touchdown only put the Bears within three. They still would have needed a successful onside kick to have a chance to tie. The deke could have been better served in a situation that wasn't as desperate.
Because the thing is, Hester and Knox won't be able to pull-off this move again. It was a one-shot deal. Now that it's on tape, teams will protect against it. But wait. Maybe they did it*specifically so future opponents will be conscious of the possibility, thus forcing them to*play safer return coverages and freeing up the middle of the field for the explosive Hester.
Crazy like a fox, those Bears.
Watch as Hester makes every Green Bay Packers special teamer, both announcers and the cameraman think he's getting ready to return a Tim Masthy punt on the left side of the field while, in fact, Johnny Knox was actually settling under it 30 yards away:
That's something out of "The Prestige!" It's so devious, yet so simple! I'm going to choose to forget that it was called back because of a penalty.
My only concern: Why waste such a great turn at trickery when down 10 points with under a minute to go in the game? Even if it hadn't been called back because of penalty, the touchdown only put the Bears within three. They still would have needed a successful onside kick to have a chance to tie. The deke could have been better served in a situation that wasn't as desperate.
Because the thing is, Hester and Knox won't be able to pull-off this move again. It was a one-shot deal. Now that it's on tape, teams will protect against it. But wait. Maybe they did it*specifically so future opponents will be conscious of the possibility, thus forcing them to*play safer return coverages and freeing up the middle of the field for the explosive Hester.
Crazy like a fox, those Bears.