Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson pulled off such a convincing fake on the game-winning play Sunday, it even fooled the FOX broadcast.
The Ravens were on their heels a bit during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tx. After holding a 28-6 lead at one point, the Cowboys had mounted a furious comeback to get the game to within 28-25. The Ravens faced second and nine from their own 35 at the two-minute warning with the knowledge that Dallas would have at least one more brief possession unless they could pick up a first down.
The Ravens opted for what initially looked like a jet sweep, but was actually an option play for Jackson. Jackson chose to keep the ball and run with it, but the fake on the jet sweep was so convincing that even FOX broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt fell for it initially.
The fake for the first!
Lamar Jackson seals the @Ravens win in Dallas.
📺: #BALvsDAL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/TMyQhkVhz8— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
The Cowboys also fell for the fake, with several defenders getting caught going right while Jackson ran for the hole that opened up in the middle of the defense. He was able to pick up the first down and effectively end the game as a result. That was the right call, as Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson had the jet sweep blown up had Jackson handed it off to Zay Flowers.
The Ravens finally got their first win of the season, while the Cowboys dropped to 1-2. Their fourth quarter comeback made the scoreline less embarrassing, but this will definitely prompt something of a crisis in Dallas. There may have already been one after last week.
