The Los Angeles Rams went into desperation mode early on in the NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, and it paid off in a big way.
Trailing 13-0 early in the second quarter and unable to get anything going on offense, Rams head coach Sean McVay decided to call for a fake punt at his own 30-yard line. The play was executed to perfection, as punter Johnny Hekker hit Sam Shields for a sizable gain on 4th-and-5.
IT'S A FAKE @JHekker pic.twitter.com/4UAGpLqnWR
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 20, 2019
The call was a risky one from McVay, as the Saints would have had excellent field position and a chance to go up three possessions early if LA was stopped. However, the Rams came out completely flat and could not afford to give the ball back to New Orleans again. McVay knew how badly his team needed momentum. The Rams were held to a field goal that cut the lead to 13-3, but it was important for them to get on the board to avoid having the game spiral out of control.
If you remember, the Rams used Hekker on a fake field goal earlier in the season against the Saints, but they came up short thanks to a very controversial spot. New Orleans should have seen the fake coming on Sunday.
