#fake-punt

#fake-punt

If the Patriots' Week 16 game had gone far differently than what it inevitably became, which was a win, the conversation on Monday would be all about a head-scratching decision that immediately doomed their chances of leaving Baltimore the victors. Fortunately, that didn't come back to haunt them, and a fourth-quarter comeback led by Drake Maye allowed them to tie the Broncos for the best record in the league and maintain their one-game edge over the Bills for the AFC East.

USC pulled off the fake punt by having reserve quarterback Sam Huard wear the same jersey number (No. 80) as primary punter Sam Johnson. Huard was listed as No. 7 in the game notes for the Northwestern matchup. Facing a fourth-and-6 early in the second quarter against the Wildcats, Huard came into the game wearing No. 80 and completed a pass to give the Trojans a first down. They wound up scoring on the drive to take a 14-7 lead.

LOS ANGELES -- No. 20 USC pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern on Friday night by sending out third-string quarterback Sam Huard in the same uniform number as the Trojans' punter. Wearing a No. 80 jersey, Huard came on the field with the punt team in the second quarter and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines. The first down extended the Trojans' second drive, which ended with a TD run by Jayden Maiava.