Eagles fool Falcons with Super Bowl-style trick play
The Philadelphia Eagles have pulled off a dazzling trick play in the NFL opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dubbed the “The Philly Special”, the Eagles dipped into the trick book very early in the season to pull it off.
The significance of the play was not lost on NFL fans, who hold fond memories of the amazing moment Philadelphia dared to do the same thing in the Super Bowl 52 against the Patriots.
cant believe they really used the philly special, its a trick play you'd think theyd use it in a must win game but they needed momentum they lookin flat
— Miz (@MizuxeSZN) September 7, 2018
Dear God, we get it. The Eagles called a trick play in the Super Bowl! Move on! #NFLKickoff #ATLvsPHI
— Mike Wetzel (@zonayork) September 7, 2018
That nick Foles trick play was huge. I truly believe that got a little swagger back in Nicky Foles
— Pat Egan (@Pat_Egan) September 7, 2018
Touchdown EAGLES!! Doug is a genius. All started with that trick play!! #FlyEaglesFly
— Colton Lieggi (@ColtonLieggi00) September 7, 2018
Anyone catch that trick play? “Philly Special” I think it’s called? Boy that was something! Not sure I’ve ever seen anything like that before.
— Nick Dodd (@Nick_dodd2) September 7, 2018
Can’t wait for teams to have to start game planning for the Philly Special, a trick play. Good luck, NFL.
— Chris (@Schaferrrr) September 7, 2018
The Eagles eventually conquered New England 41-33 in Super Bowl, with the gutsy trick play the deciding factor in the tight fixture last season.
Fast forward to the season opener, and the move shifted moment for Philly against Atlanta, who were trailing 3-6 before they attempted risky manoeuvre.
Quarterback Nick Foles received the ball from the snap before handing off to his running back, mimicking a standard drive.
But Foles then took off in the other direction, headed for the right-side touch line completely unmarked.
From there, all it took was another handoff to wide receiver Nelson Agholor to finish off the play.
Agholor managed to throw a perfect pass to Foles who was left isolated as Atlanta tried to work out what exactly was going on.
The play capped off a successful drive that helped the Eagles to the first touchdown of the match, taking a 10-6 lead.
Aussie phenom cops disappointing blow for NFL opener
The hype around Jordan Mailata’s NFL debut has fizzled – at least for this week.
The Australian giant will not play in the Philadelphia Eagles’ season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday (AEST).
But the Eagles’ Geelong-raised punter, Cameron Johnston, was named in the defending Super Bowl champion’s 46-man squad.
The Eagles plan to take their time developing the 203cm tall, 157kg former South Sydney NRL prospect Mailata who only played his first game of American football last month.
The Eagles named Mailata and Johnston in their 53-man regular-season rosters on Saturday, while cutting more than 30 other players, and it was expected Mailata would sit out against the Falcons.
Johnston, also a rookie, is more battle-hardened for the pressure of the NFL after punting for Ohio State University.
Mailata grew up in western Sydney, dreaming of making his living in the NRL.
He got close, too, with his work ethic and his pure bulk impressing the senior coaches at South Sydney.
But, somehow, a theory that at 6-foot-8 Mailata was too big for a game that relies so heavily on aerobic fitness became a potential roadblock to a lucrative contact.
So his agent put together a highlight video of this human wrecking ball rampaging through defenses and making crunching tackles in the NRL’s under-20 competition and sent it around.
The video was designed, Mailata said, ”to help generate interest in the rugby universe.”
It did way more than that.
”At the same time it generated attention in the NFL,” he said.
”I was quite lucky when I reached the crossroad in my life, the NFL pathway reached out to me as another avenue to pursue.
“That’s what it came down to.”
with Agencies.