With the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers deadlocked in a close divisional battle, Saints head coach Sean Payton pulled out a trick play to give his team the lead in the second quarter.
Running back Alvin Kamara took a direct snap and handed it off to receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who pitched it to quarterback Jameis Winston, who connected with Tre’Quan Smith for a 56-yard touchdown.
If there was something familiar about the play, it’s because the Chicago Bears ran the exact same play against New Orleans last week in the wild-card round. The only difference is, the Saints actually executed it while Javon Wims dropped the ball in the end zone.
They say that the NFL is a copycat league, and it certainly appears so with this play. Take a look at them side-by-side.
Jameis Winston's touchdown was the same play design the Bears ran last week when Javon Wims dropped it. pic.twitter.com/Dv7RU386ZK
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) January 18, 2021
Naturally, Twitter had plenty to say about the Saints borrowing from the Bears — and they actually acknowledged that the play came from Chicago, unlike the announcers on FOX.
The Saints just scored a touchdown on the exact play the #Bears ran against them where Javon Wims dropped an easy TD.
Existence is pain.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) January 18, 2021
That Saints TD was brought to you by MATT NAGY and the Chicago Bears
— Ashton Brown (@abrown197) January 18, 2021
lol Saints straight up steal the Bears play and execute it 100% better
— Blake (@SoldierFieldBlg) January 18, 2021
Matt Nagy watching saints run the Bears play from last week and execute for a TD pic.twitter.com/WqHdLzK2f5
— Cloudy Future (@CloudyFuture) January 18, 2021
the Saints beat the Bears AND took the best play from their playbook
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) January 18, 2021
Payton unlocks Jameis in game 3 against the Bucs on basically the same play the Bears whiffed on against the Saints last week. League’s biggest troll strikes again.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 18, 2021
I think the #Bears ran that play last week vs the #Saints I guess that’s a compliment
— Brian (@latestphad) January 18, 2021
Wow. The Saints just stole that play from the Bears. Of course they get a TD out of it.
— Chicago Bears Nation (@Bears__Nation) January 18, 2021
The saints really took the exact same play from the bears💀💀
— Tombradystan (@Tombradystan12) January 18, 2021
Oh man, this hurts! This is the play that the Bears botched last week against the Saints: Mitch threw a perfect ball that Wims dropped in the end zone. The Saints liked what they saw, stole it–and did it right. https://t.co/u6TfkSO7nJ
— Christopher J. Scalia (@cjscalia) January 18, 2021
I can not even hate Saints Sean Payton for being an absolute savage for successfully using same play BEARS tried against them.
(Deshaun straight up trade for Wims and re-sign Mitch as QB2 just because of Wims) pic.twitter.com/SafKsI0449
— BoJack WESman (@BoJackWESman) January 18, 2021
Any #Bears fans recognize the trick play the #Saints ran with @Jaboowins for the score? Yup, it’s the one @Javon_Juice dropped. 🤦🏻♂️
— Scott Liewehr (@sliewehr) January 18, 2021
@SarahSpain How demoralizing is it for @Bears fans watching the Saints Jameis Winston literally running the same play.. in the same direction.. in the same building for a touchdown a week after the Wims dropped that td? Lol life as a bears fan
— Kevin Koski (@koski305) January 18, 2021
Bears ran that exact same trick play as the Saints but that one resulted in a drop because we can’t have nice things
— VJ (@VJVemu) January 18, 2021
The #NFL is a copycat league. The #Saints stole that last trick play from the #Bears. Wims was wide open, and dropped the pass. The #Saints receiver was also wide open.
And to think, Joe Buck just said Sean Payton stays up until 1 a.m. coming up with plays.
— Jermaine Pigee (@JPigee84) January 18, 2021
The #saints just used the #bears play and scored because they have a competent receiver that can catch a ball. PAIN! pic.twitter.com/1DsA1jS2E5
— Phil Kuntz (@philkuntz14) January 18, 2021
*Jameis Winston throws a touchdown pass to a Saints’ player.*
Bears Fans: pic.twitter.com/aR3xP09lOP
— Official Fan Account of Artūras Karnišovas FanClub (@Jeffo3545) January 18, 2021
Sean Payton to the Bears: Your offense was horrible last week, but you did run one cool play, so I decided to steal it and our guy actually caught it #Saints #Bears pic.twitter.com/0Fur4rNHmb
— John Breech (@johnbreech) January 18, 2021
Wow I didn’t realize that Winston pass was the same play Javon Wims dropped for the Bears last week. Saints getting comical out here. 😂 #NOvsTB #NFL
— Max Preston (@MaxPrestonTV) January 18, 2021
Sean Payton just ran the same trick play that the Bears tried on the Saints last week. But the Saints had a competent WR to make the catch, so for them it worked.
— Dr. Professor Black Gorbachev, Esq (@no1dicknixonfan) January 18, 2021
The Bears ran one successful play on the Saints and Sean stole it. https://t.co/Fv3ZlRFhZc
— Jeff Asher (@Crimealytics) January 18, 2021
There's one of the many differences between the #Bears and #Saints: New Orleans can actually execute the right way. Chicago didn't do so consistently throughout 2020.
— Usayd Koshul (@usaydkoshul) January 18, 2021
Matt Nagy right now #Bears #Saints #Bucs pic.twitter.com/TrzkidZHmA
— JasonAce8 (@JasonAce8) January 18, 2021
