NFL Moment Of The Week – Week 15

"NFL Toe Drag"This week is all about a moment that *probably* happened…

“Hang on – probably happened?” I hear you ask. “Either it did happen, or it didn’t!?”

That’s a good point, and here’s the deal –
It’s a moment I have seen week after week in the live Sunday night game, and in the highlights around the league. I saw it at Wembley for my first time going to an NFL game.

I had meant to keep it as a moment for when nothing else caught my eye. Week 14 was just such a week, some great action, but nothing that caught my eye.
Unfortunately, the moment I had been saving for such a week, didn’t happen in the live game, and I didn’t see it in any of the highlight packages.

It is possible that it didn’t happen throughout the whole of the league, but when you see what incident I’m talking about, you’ll agree it must have happened at some point.

The toe drag.

That’s it.
It’s a thing of beauty!

You see it up and down the sidelines, but notably in the endzone on a scoring play. The quarterback throws the ball to the edge of the field, because if the offense knows that’s where the ball is going before the defence, it’s more likely the receiver has that extra step to get there before the defender reacts.

Even so, the QB throws the ball to the outside of the receiver, so that it will land out of play unless the receiver catches it.

This means two things. Firstly, the receiver is the only person that is able to catch it – the defender can’t get there because the receiver is between him and the ball.

Secondly it means the receiver will have to bring the toe drag into play. For a catch to be valid, the receiver has to be in control of the ball and have both feet in play.

So, once they’ve stretched up to catch the ball, they have to get their trailing foot to touch the ground before they fall out of play.

Bear in mind, these are men well over 6 feet tall, well over 200 pounds, and although the toe drag is taken for granted, to think about it makes you realise what a thing it is.

A hugely athletic movement, it’s most unnatural to catch a ball high in the air and then basically ram your foot to the ground.
I hope this video from the nfl.com shows in your part of the world – the slow motions show the grace of the movement, but when you see it at full speed, you really appreciate it!

NFL Toe Drags

I love seeing it and although sod’s law dictates I didn’t see it this week, I’m sure you’ll agree it probably happened, and is well deserving to be moment of the week!

Ok, do leave a comment, and feel free to share around if you think others would enjoy it!
cheers,
Gordon
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Do leave a comment!

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5 Comments

  • “Dear Gardon, I read through your whole moment update. I’m very sure I did. But funny how only bits seem to register. I am sure I did read through them Word for Word. Oh…perhaps it ‘probably happened’!” Lol 😀

    Nice update as always! The immediate thing crossed my mind was how certain things we thought we had done but not exactly sure if we gad really done it in the first place. Yes, something like deja vu, or it could also be somethibg that we did it ‘subconsiously’. Ie. Physically doing it, but our mind wasn’t at it. Something like just goibg with the motion without having a heart at it.

  • Con’t…..

    Just to add on. One classic and excellent eg I would like to share.

    Told you earlier an immediate thought crossed my mind? It happened as I was reading the first few lines of this post. So what happened after that was, I had my own idea to think about because that was what I would like to share later at the comment while reading the content. So my mind had actually split to 2 parts. That’s where I was reading and not reading! It happens to many people, especially when we have so much to think about. And that’s where the power of focus comes to play!

    • ah yes, I know what you mean, deja vu with thoughts or ideas!
      Focus is a hugely powerful tool, as shown by the focus needed for these big men to be that athletic in such a small space!
      cheers,
      Gordon

  • You did a great job explaining the toe drag and how difficult it really is. In fact, there are more incomplete passes that are caught by receivers but who are not able to get “both feet in bounds”. And most of those are very close to just missing the mark (the receiver still made a great catch – only for not).

    It is a real talent for the quarterback to drop the ball within the in bounds grasp of the receiver while keeping it out of reach from the defender! Also for the receiver to make that catch in bounds with the toe drag!

    • I love to see it. It’s something that is taken for granted, and let’s not forget, these men are paid a lot of money to do the job, but nevertheless it can indeed be a thing of beauty when you watch it in slow mo replay!
      Cheers,
      Gordon