Hail Mary pass

In American football, a Hail Mary pass is a forward pass made in desperation, with only a very small chance of success. The typical Hail Mary is a very long forward pass thrown at or near the end of a game where there is no realistic possibility for any other play to work. The phrase derives from the name of a prominent Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary and comes from a translation of the opening words of the prayer in Latin: Ave, Maria. The point is that the success of such a pass is so unlikely that it would need divine intervention to work.

Related Topics:
American football - Forward pass - Roman Catholic - Prayer to the Virgin Mary - Divine intervention

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Although the Hail Mary has a low percentage chance of completion, it is generally a standard play in every playbook at the professional and college level. Generally, three or more eligible receivers are lined up on the short side of the field and all run a flag pattern. The running backs are kept in to block. The quarterback throws towards the end zone and prays that the pass is completed (this last part is optional, but recommended).

Related Topics:
Playbook - Receiver - Flag pattern - Running back - Quarterback - End zone

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Defending against the Hail Mary is straightforward. The first priority is to ensure the defensive backs are in zone coverage, and that they keep the receivers well in front of them until the ball is thrown. Second, generally no more than four defensive linemen rush the quarterback, with all the linebackers dropping back to prevent a shorter pass. Hail Mary passes are most successful when the defense is in the wrong alignment. If the defense is in man-to-man coverage, and a receiver manages to break coverage by getting further downfield than the nearest defensive back, the chance of success is greatly improved.

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Arguably, the most famous Hail Mary pass came in a 1984 game between Boston College and the University of Miami. With almost no time left on the clock, BC quarterback Doug Flutie threw a desperation Hail Mary pass which succeeded primarily because Miami's secondary stood on the goal line to keep the receivers in front of them, and failed to cover a post route being run by Gerard Phelan. Miami's defense was based on the assumption that Flutie would be unable to throw the ball as far as the end zone, but Flutie hit Phelan in stride against a flatfooted defense a yard deep in the end zone.

Related Topics:
Boston College - University of Miami - Doug Flutie - Goal line - Gerard Phelan - Yard

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The term "Hail Mary pass" is often incorrectly believed to have been coined by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, referring to his desperation (and Catholic beliefs), for his game-winning touchdown pass in a December 28, 1975 NFC semifinal playoff game. With only 36 seconds remaining, Staubach threw a desperation pass to receiver Drew Pearson, who was being covered by cornerback Nate Wright. Pearson pinned the slightly underthrown ball against his right hip and ran into the end zone for the winning touchdown. In discussing the play during a post-game interview, Staubach told reporters that he closed his eyes, threw the ball as hard as he could, and said a Hail Mary prayer. However, the term dates farther back, originally to high schools across the country. However, Staubach did popularize the term.

Related Topics:
Dallas Cowboys - Quarterback - Roger Staubach - Catholic - December 28 - 1975 - NFC - Hail Mary prayer

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