Pass the hat

Trick plays become vogue among offensive set

I have to commend Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for his creative play-calling -- particularly the way he remains unfazed if his first trick or two fails.

In the third quarter against the Jets last Sunday, Pittsburgh tried a "toss turn around" to Amos Zereoue to slow down the excellent defensive pursuit. It wasn't a bad idea, even though the Jets read it easily and the result was a two-yard loss. Less than a minute later, Mularkey called for a fake sweep QB rollout throwback, which the Jets smashed for an 8-yard loss.

Still, Mularkey refused to be scared back to conservative playcalling. In a critical fourth-quarter situation, the Steelers lined up in shotgun with wide receiver Hines Ward in the backfield. As Kordell Stewart acted confused and started to move out of the pocket, Ward took a direct snap and followed Zereoue 10 yards for a first down. On Sunday, we saw such imaginative play-calling all over the NFL.

Against the 49ers, the Rams wasted little time, calling a trick play in the first quarter. Kurt Warner acted as if he was going to the sideline and the direct snap went to Marshall Faulk, who ran for a first down.

Saints head coach Jim Haslett used to be a defensive coordinator and in the first quarter against Atlanta he anticipated how fast the Falcons would come up when they saw a simple toss sweep. So he had rookie running back Deuce McAllister run left and find wide receiver Willie Jackson for a touchdown. Curtis Martin had similar success flipping a touchdown pass to Wayne Chrebet against the Steelers. Those plays will pay dividends again next week when the Saints and Jets call for toss sweeps and their opponents will have to consider the possibility of the option pass.

And how about Denver's Mike Shanahan? In a game where a loss could have meant the end of playoff hopes, Shanahan called for a double-reverse in the third quarter ... to a rookie, no less. Kevin Kasper gained 27 yards and the Seahawks were left wondering how aggressive they could afford to be in defending Denver's running game.

Before the Lions-Bucs game started, I asked a Detroit defensive player if he expected any tricks from Tampa Bay. He said, "Tampa will be the last place that stuff will show up." Sounds to me like a good time to try something, Coach Dungy.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated.

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