Should You Use a Trick Play During the Preseason?

Preseason is about practice. It's about trying things you wouldn't normally do in a game that counts.

In the first possession of the first preseason game on 2009, the Tennessee Titans unveiled a trick play. A play that probably wouldn't have been called during the season (well, Jeff Fisher is known for going against the grain so maybe I'm wrong on that). The play was a fake punt that the punter then faked a behind-the-back handoff to a teammate. The punter ran 40+ yards for a touchdown. Great play.

Now, was it smart to run that right now? Yes and no.

There's no way that the Titans can run that again this season. Everyone either watched it as it happened or saw it on the highlight shows. And believe that every special teams coach across the league took notice of it. This is 2009 where information flows everywhere and secrets don't stay secret for very long.

But it is also a blessing. Now every opponent you go up against must spend valuable time putting in a play to defend it and practice it. Just look at the Wildcat Offense last year. Once Miami destroyed New England with it in Week 3, all the Dolphins' opponents had to prepare for it.

I know. It seems like a small victory and it is. But that's not all.

Just like the Wildcat Offense, the Titans could fake the fake. When Miami first unveiled the Wildcat, it basically was Ronnie Brown taking the snap, faking a handoff to Ricky Williams and then running. Everyone was prepared for that now. So in the next week, they started to pitch the ball to Williams and causing all sorts of confusion. A week later, Brown started throwing passes.

The Titans could have a punt called and then get back into that formation (one guy ran back from the line of scrimmage). The opponent will see this and think the fake is called. The punter then could go ahead and punt it to a returner that now lacks the proper blocking since they were all preoccupied with the possible fake. That could be a huge deal at the right spot.

The Titans could actually fake again and make the handoff. Maybe the opponent thinks the fake is on and rough up the punter (it would be a roughing the passer foul). The punter or runner could throw a pass out of the formation. Who knows?

What we do know is that the can of worms that Fisher opened is out there. And he's making all his opponents think a little bit more.