"This league, there's a lot of great plays, there's a lot of great minds, so when you see something like that, that's unique and it works well, you try to execute it like they do." -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles after his 15-yard reception in Week 1 helped set up the Eagles' first touchdown of 2018

Trey Burton's touchdown pass to Nick Foles last February did more than help the Eagles beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. The Philly Special seemingly convinced every head coach who flirted with the idea of trick plays that now is the time to be creative.

And no coach was more creative with trick plays in 2018 than Matt Nagy, whose Chicago Bears will host Foles and the Eagles in a wild-card match-up on Sunday.

ESPN

Sixteen quarterbacks caught a pass this season, which is the most since the 1970 merger, and four more were targeted. Not every QB reception was by design as seven caught their own pass, but that still means 13 quarterbacks were targeted, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Conversely, last season before the Philly Special, only two quarterbacks caught a pass, and both times they caught their own pass.

Bears lead way in trickery

The Bears hired Nagy as coach last offseason to revamp their offense and develop second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. But they also got a playcaller who has no hesitation to use some trickery.

Perhaps the peak of Nagy's creativity came in Week 14 against the Rams. Facing third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, the Bears had three linemen run on the field and report as eligible receivers. The lightest player was Trubisky at 222 pounds. The Bears had 10 players on the field, including four defensive linemen, weighing 290 pounds or more. All told, the Bears had 3,288 pounds on the field for the play called "Santa's Sleigh." Trubisky faked a handoff to 332-pound defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who had scored on a 1-yard TD run the week before, and hit 312-pound offensive lineman Bradley Sowell for the 2-yard touchdown pass.

"We needed a play, so they gave it to the playmaker," joked Sowell, who caught the first pass of his seven-year NFL career. "It was one of those things that I'm glad coach Nagy trusts me to do. He tried it with me earlier in the season and got flak for it, but he gave it back to me and it worked out great."

Among the other notable tricky moments for the Bears this season:

Week 12: WR Anthony Miller throws an 8-yard pass to QB Chase Daniel

Week 13: DT Hicks scores a 1-yard rushing TD

Week 13: RB Tarik Cohen throws a tying 1-yard TD to Miller as time expires

Week 17: Trubisky completes a 2-point conversion to LB Nick Kwiatkoski

But there were many more.

Most impactful non-QB passes this season

Win probability added: 35.2 percent

Week 3: Miami Dolphins Albert Wilson hits Jakeem Grant with a 52-yard touchdown

Bert Wilson to Jakeem Grant for six. Miami's explosiveness is so much better with these guys. pic.twitter.com/w9VcjZOLf7 — Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) September 23, 2018

Win probability added: 25.8 percent

Week 13: Bears RB Cohen hits Miller with a 1-yard TD

Win probability added: 19.6 percent

Week 13: New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hits Russell Shepard with a 49-yard TD

Win probability added: 17.9 percent

Week 15: Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey hits TE Chris Manhertz with a 50-yard TD

QB22 to Chris Manhertz 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Slb5CTFeAt — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 18, 2018

Win probability added: 17.7 percent

Week 2: Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard hits cornerback Dane Cruikshank with a 66-yard TD

Safety Kevin Byard (@KB31_Era) delivers laser on fake punt pass in Titans win



Tricky Titans 📰 » https://t.co/McztsAgcRp pic.twitter.com/nHHeE7Ho9n — Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 16, 2018

Most impactful QB receptions this season

Win probability added: 9.7 percent

Week 17: Atlanta Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu hits Matt Ryan with a 5-yard TD, Ryan's first career catch

Win probability added: 7.7 percent

Week 1: Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor hits Foles for a 15-yard gain, extending a drive and setting up the Eagles' first TD of 2018

They did it again?

YES!



Nick Foles is catching passes. 🔥



Philly Special: Part II #ATLvsPHI @Eagles pic.twitter.com/Gct9Yt4h3O — NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2018

Win probability added: 7.6 percent

Week 12: Bears WR Miller throws an 8-yard pass to QB Daniel

Win probability added: 5.9 percent

Week 12: Indianapolis Colts receiver Jacoby Brissett throws 4-yard pass to Andrew Luck, who's hit immediately and lands hard on his surgically repaired right shoulder

BRISSETT TO LUCK!

BRISSETT TO LUCK!

BRISSETT TO LUCK!

BRISSETT TO LUCK! pic.twitter.com/R1oQd4kOP2 — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 25, 2018

Win probability added: 4 percent

Week 17: Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills throws a 2-yard TD pass to QB Ryan Tannehill