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Nearly the entire Chicago Bears punt team thought they had just kicked the ball to rookie speedster Tyler Lockett. It turns out the ball was actually about 30 yards away and about to land in the arms of Richard Sherman.
While the ball was actually kicked to the left, away from Lockett, most of the Seahawks return team ran in the direction of Lockett as if they were setting up a return for him. Even Lockett sold the play, acting like he was going to catch the ball and eventually falling down to see it even further.
Menwhile, Sherman was on the other side of the field, caught the ball, and nearly returned the punt all the way for a touchdown.
Everybody was fooled.
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Actually, there was one Bears player who was not fooled, and it probably saved the touchdown. That was the Bears punter who knew where the ball was going.
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Punter Pat O'Donnell can be seen on the replay frantically waving to his teammates that the ball was over on the other side of the field. Eventually he was able to turn Sherman enough so that a Bears teammate could catch up and the pair teamed up to make the tackle.
If this fake punt looks familiar, it should, especially to the Seahawks. The Rams pulled off the same trick last season against the Seahawks. That one was returned for a touchdown. Thanks to O'Donnell, the Seahawks only ended up with a field goal.