{
  "id": 15617542,
  "title": "The Ravens found a loophole in the NFL rulebook, and ran the most creative trick play of the season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/the-ravens-found-a-loophole-in-the-nfl-rulebook-and-ran-the-most",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-19T14:26:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SB Nation",
    "slug": "sb-nation",
    "url": "https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1132843/baltimore-ravens-trick-play-video-tight-end-left-guard"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens experienced a challenging offensive day, primarily due to the absence of their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson. However, one play during the first quarter left spectators astounded. Quarterback Jackson's offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle, strategically lined up tight end Josh Cuevas at the left guard position, effectively disrupting the conventional offensive football formations.\n\nCuevas, positioned in an unusual spot, executed a 29-yard pass play that seemingly defied the rules of the NFL. Upon closer examination, it became evident that this play was entirely legal, albeit technically bending the rules to achieve such a spectacular result. Doyle cleverly navigated two key aspects of the rulebook to make this play feasible: the \"Position of Players at the Snap\" and the eligibility criteria for receivers.\n\nThe \"Position of Players at the Snap\" rule stipulates that eligible receivers must be on both ends of the offensive line, with all other players on the line being ineligible. In this case, the Ravens had eligible receivers split wide, satisfying the first requirement. Cuevas, however, was positioned off the line of scrimmage, making him eligible according to the rules. Consequently, both requirements of the rulebook were met, allowing the play to be executed legally.\n\nWhile this creative play garnered widespread admiration, it is unlikely to be replicated frequently. The unconventional positioning of the tight end off the line of scrimmage puts him at risk of being overwhelmed by a defensive player attempting to disrupt the play. Moreover, opposing teams are likely to scrutinize the Ravens' offensive line positioning and pre-snap receiver assignments, making this play more challenging to execute successfully.\n\nNotably, this play had previously been executed in the NFL, although it has not gained widespread popularity due to the importance of having specialized blocking linemen in the formation. Nonetheless, the play's ingenuity and the innovative use of the rulebook continue to captivate football enthusiasts.",
  "summary": "The Ravens had a rotten offensive day on Sunday, largely because the team is a mess without Lamar Jackson — but one play caught everyone’s attention. In the first quarter we saw a 29-yard pass to tight end Josh Cuevas, who was lined up in the left guard spot, more or less tearing apart everything […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}