Tom Brady Hits Chris Hogan for Long Flea Flicker Touchdown (Video)

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tom Brady and Bill Belichick reached into their bag of tricks and pulled out a flea flicker touchdown for the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

The New England Patriots went up on the Pittsburgh Steelers early in the 2017 AFC Championship Game. Their offense looked to be clicking while Ben Roethlisberger and company weren’t in rhythm out of the gate. However, when the Steelers finally put six points on the board, the Patriots found themselves only up by four points. That’s when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick decided to assert themselves with a bit of trickery.

Midway through the second quarter, the Patriots were at about midfield and driving. Brady turned and handed the ball off to Dion Lewis who took the rock right up to the line of scrimmage. That’s when he turned and everyone knew what was coming: the flea flicker.

Lewis pitched the pigskin back to his quarterback and they had the Steelers beat with Mike Mitchell cheating up for the run. Chris Hogan had gone deep on a post route out of the slot and was behind everyone in the open field. Brady let loose a gorgeous deep ball right on the money. Once Hogan let if all into his grasps right in stride, it was an easy stroll into the end zone to bring the lead up to 11 points in the first half:

Only the Patriots would utilize that flea flicker play as often as they do, but it’s only because it’s as successful as this play would have you believe. It seems like they get defenses to bite on it routinely and thus get big plays out of it.

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Just as the Steelers were thinking they might be garnering momentum on the road, Tom Brady and his group of merry men pull this out of their hat. That’s what the Patriots seem to always do. They wait until their opponents have a glimmer of hope, then do something like this to snuff it out.