There may not be anything that football fans hate more than a failed trick play. So it’s no surprise that Bucs fans were incensed when offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich dialed up a gadget play near the end of the third quarter. With the Bucs trailing 23-21 to the Saints, Leftwich went into his bag of tricks on Halloween.

Tom Brady pitched the ball to Leonard Fournette on 1st-and-10, then drifted to the opposite side of the field, looking for a throwback from the running back. But Saints defensive end Cam Jordan alertly noted Brady’s release. The Pro Bowler hovered by the quarterback with his eyes on Fournette.

This is an extremely impressive play by Jordan, who would typically crash down the line of scrimmage on a run play. But it might be an even more impressive play by Fournette. Given his complete lack of experience as a passer, Fournette’s field vision to notice Jordan trying to bait him into an interception is outstanding. Most non-quarterbacks might get flustered in that situation and make a poor decision, or not notice the defender. But Fournette pulls the ball down and surveys his options.

“You practice gadget plays,” Arians said on Bucs Total Access. “After about four weeks of practice, it’s ready for a game. It was a throwback to the quarterback. We had both receivers wide open. But 94 did a great job. He snuffed it out.”

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs and QB Tom Brady and Saints DE Cameron Jordan – Photo by: USA Today

As you can see, Marshon Lattimore falls asleep on the play, and Mike Evans bursts past him. If Jordan had crashed down as expected, Fournette simply would have needed an on-target pass to Brady, and the quarterback would likely have found Evans for a touchdown. But Fournette improvises instead, deciding to throw himself. Chris Godwin is wide open in the middle of the field for a huge catch-and-run, so it’s a great decision by Fournette again.

Unfortunately, a Saints defensive lineman broke through and batted the ball down before Quarterback Lenny could materialize. The Bucs caught 10 Saints completely off guard, yet the play didn’t work out. If not for Jordan’s heads up positioning, this one probably results in a touchdown. Another reminder that football is a game of inches.

You can listen to the tremendous entirety of Bucs Total Access with Casey Phillips right here.