The Detroit Lions pulled out an incredibly gutsy playcall on Sunday, essentially clinching a win over the Minnesota Vikings with a trick play involving offensive lineman Penei Sewell.
On a vital 3rd-and-7 with a 31-23 lead and two minutes to go, the Lions put Sewell in motion and targeted him with a pass play to essentially close out the game. Sewell made the catch and rumbled for a first down, creating an instant viral highlight in the process.
Penei Sewell: ATHLETE
pic.twitter.com/T2zf50IxR1— Barstool Detroit (@BSMotorCity) December 11, 2022
After the game, Sewell told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he only became aware of the play’s existence on Thursday. The Lions practiced it three times on Friday, then pulled it out in a potential make-or-break spot Sunday.
“After that, now I’m more confident,” Sewell said. “It doesn’t matter what it is. Nine [route], wheel [route], it don’t matter.”
The Lions got some breaks Sunday, but they were deserved winners and are very much in the NFC playoff race. Maybe they’re flying by the seat of their pants a bit, but plays like this make clear that it’s working.
