Detroit Lions Convert Fake Punt (Video)

By Phil Watson | Nov 9, 2014

Nov 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions fullback Jed Collins (45) runs with the ball after a fake punt during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

The Detroit Lions opened their game at Ford Field Sunday against the Miami Dolphins with a marathon drive, helped by a fake punt from their own end of the field.

The Miami Dolphins defense thought it had gotten a stop against the Detroit Lions early in their game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, but coach Jim Caldwell and the Lions’ special teams had a different idea.

With the ball at their own 45 and facing a fourth-and-six, Detroit sent the punt team out.

But punter Sam Martin, rather than kicking the ball away, hit fullback Jed Collins—lined up as a tight end in the punt formation—with a short pass that Collins turned into a 24-yard gain to keep the drive moving.

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It’s a play call that definitely takes some onions (copyright pending).

The Lions wound up getting points on the drive and eating a huge chunk of clock. Matt Prater gave Detroit a 3-0 lead with a 26-yard field goal—I know, a Lions’ kicker making a field goal, right?—to cap a drive that covered 72 yards in 15 plays and ate up 8:41.

For Martin, it was his first career pass and his 118.8 passer rating is better than the NFL’s all-time leader, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, who has a career rating of 105.6.

Of course, there’s the issue of Martin being 1,499 pass attempts short of qualifying for the all-time list.

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