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Seahawks' Super Bowl XL Loss Supplies No. 3 on ESPN's List of Top Super Bowl Trick Plays
ESPN ranks the Steelers' Randle El-to-Ward reverse pass against Seattle third among Super Bowl trick plays. Next up for the Seahawks: Las Vegas.
The most painful trick play in Seattle Seahawks history now officially ranks among the best the Super Bowl has seen. In a countdown of the 10 most memorable trick plays in Super Bowl history, ESPN's Turron Davenport and Nate Taylor put Pittsburgh's Antwaan Randle El-to-Hines Ward touchdown in Super Bowl XL third. Only the Eagles' "Philly Special" and the Saints' "Ambush" onside kick rank higher.
The play came in February 2006 in Detroit. Pittsburgh led 14-10 early in the fourth quarter and had a first down at Seattle's 43-yard line. ESPN reports that Bill Cowher's staff had worked on the call in the Friday practice before the game. Ben Roethlisberger pitched to Jerome Bettis, who handed off to Randle El on a reverse. Randle El had been a dual-threat quarterback at Indiana, and he pulled up and threw deep to Ward, who was alone for a 43-yard touchdown. Georgia Athletics noted at the time that the score decided Pittsburgh's 21-10 win and helped Ward, a former Bulldog, take MVP honors. Ward told ESPN that "words can't describe scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl."
The ranking matches the consensus. Fox Sports also slotted the play third on its own list. For Seattle fans, the sting has faded considerably. That night was the franchise's first Super Bowl trip, and the Seahawks have since won titles, including last season's. ESPN's list is part of a countdown series that runs until Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027. ESPN will televise that game for the first time.
What it means for Sunday in Las Vegas
The reigning champions are 5-4 heading into a Week 10 trip to the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. The game is Sunday, Nov. 15, at 1:05 p.m. Pacific on CBS, according to Seahawks.com. Seattle's record undersells its play. The Seahawks have outscored opponents 202-162 through nine games. Three of their four losses came by three points or fewer: 31-33 at Washington, 29-32 to San Francisco and 14-17 at Denver. The only lopsided result was a 34-17 home loss to Chicago.
The defense is the story of the past month. Seattle held Kansas City to three points in a 20-3 win, and after the loss to Chicago it did the same to Arizona in last week's 17-3 win. Road games have been tougher. The Seahawks are 4-2 at home but 1-2 away, and their only road win was a 31-7 rout in Arizona.
The market expects the defense to travel. Across the 12 venues on this site's board, Seattle is favored. On Novig, one of those venues, the Seahawks are -264 on the moneyline and the Raiders are +257. A $100 position on Seattle returns $37.88 in profit, and the same amount on Las Vegas returns $257. Novig's spread has Seattle at -6.5 (-102) and Las Vegas at +6.5 (-100). The total sits at 40.5, with both sides at -104.
The venues are close to one another. Sportsbook hold runs 3.5% to 5.0% on the moneyline, 2.9% to 5.0% on the spread and 4.1% to 5.0% on the total. A 40.5 total fits a team that has allowed three points in two of its last three games. It also fits how Seattle's close losses have tended to go: tight games decided by a single possession.