The best NFL coaches steal ideas. Sean Payton, being one of the best coaches in the league, is not above stealing plays and Sunday’s game against the Bucs showed why.
With the Saints trailing the Bucs in the second quarter, Payton dialed up a trick play that put Alvin Kamara at quarterback and backup QB Jameis Winston out at receiver. Kamara took the snap and flipped it to Emmanual Sanders, who then flipped it to Winston. Meanwhile, Tre’Quan Smith had snuck downfield and was open for the easiest deep touchdown pass of Winston’s career. And just like that, New Orleans was back in the lead…
Jameis Winston just threw a 56-yard TD vs. his former team in the postseason! Revenge!
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) January 18, 2021
Here are the Next Gen Stats dots of the play…
Jameis Winston & Tre'Quan Smith (56-yard TD)
Alvin Kamara (out of wildcat) hands it off to Emmanuel Sanders (in jet motion), who pitches it to Jameis Winston, who finds Tre'Quan Smith wide-open with 10.6 yards of separation.
🔹 Completion Probability: 57.1%#TBvsNO | #Saints pic.twitter.com/Oef5UpErfh
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 18, 2021
It was a beautifully designed play, but we shouldn’t give Payton too much credit. He just saw the Bears run this same exact play design against his defense a week ago. When I say the same exact play, I mean that literally. The formation was identical too.
Jameis Winston's touchdown was the same play design the Bears ran last week when Javon Wims dropped it. pic.twitter.com/Dv7RU386ZK
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) January 18, 2021
Javon Wims couldn’t haul in Mitch Trubisky’s throw, but it was a lot more contested than what Smith had to deal with. That’s because Payton waited for the Bucs to have only one safety deep to run the play. The Bears ran the play against a two-high safety look, and that extra safety was able to get back into the play just enough to force the drop.
Once Nagy gets over what could have been if Wims makes the catch, he’ll probably crack a smile. Payton stealing one of your designs has to be a confidence booster.