The Washington Commanders needed to make something happen in the first quarter of the NFC Championship, and they did in the form of a perfectly-executed fake punt.
The Commanders were already trailing 14-3 with 2:25 left in the first at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. when they appeared to be set to punt. However, they dialed up a fake punt pass on 4th and 6 from their own 31. Punter Tress Way floated a perfect pass to backup tight end Ben Sinnott for a vital first down to keep the drive alive.
Fake punt? What a pass by Tress Way!
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This was tremendously gutsy from Dan Quinn and the Commanders. If this fails, it is not an exaggeration to say the game might have been over. Philadelphia would have had a short field and the chance to go up 21-3 before the end of the first quarter. Instead, the Commanders extended the drive and eventually got a field goal out of it, bringing them back to within 14-6.
Amazingly, this is not the first successful fake punt we have seen in these playoffs. The last one did not result in a win, and this might not either, but it certainly helped.
