Unless you’re Brett Favre or Patrick Mahomes, you should probably avoid shovel passes, which tend to be more high-risk than they look. The quick handoff throw to your nearest target, usually under pressure, can lead to disastrous results, as defenders tend to be very near the ball against such desperation plays. Favre was somehow generally immune to this, and the Chiefs have an entire designed shovel pass package for Mahomes, so there are your exceptions.
Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, whose decision-making process is still under review after a 2020 season with the Eagles in which he fell off one cliff and bounced off several more cliffs, Wile E. Coyote-style, proved the theory true on this awful shovel attempt against the Rams in a goal-line situation.
Carson Wentz found a way to throw an INT from a shovel pass. Embarrassing.
The #Colts once again reach first and goal and get 0 points, second time in this game.pic.twitter.com/RjH7JQMOzA
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 19, 2021
The Colts’ first drive of the day ended on a sack from Leonard Floyd, and they had the ball at the Los Angeles one-yard line for three straight Jonathan Taylor runs and that sack. This drive had the Colts at the Rams’ three-yard line until disaster happened.
It would appear that the randomness that bedeviled Mr. Wentz last season is still here with authority.