There are a few positions in the National Football League that fans don’t think about until something bad happens.
Catching for ground strikes is one of those positions.
It’s considered a normal part of gaming, an almost automated task that you can imagine yourself shooting while watching the games from your couch. But it’s harder than it looks and there are a lot of moving parts. From making sure the pitch goal unit is set, to keeping the shot clean, placing the ball correctly and moving the laces away from the hitter and finally getting the angle of the ball right based on the hitter’s personal preference.
It’s also something I did for four years in college, so I know what it looks like when things go right…and I know what it looks like when things go wrong.
Which brings me to Jacksonville Jaguars punter — and owner — Logan Cooke, who played a starring role in Jacksonville’s stunning 19-17 win on Sunday.
Jacksonville lost long snapper Ross Maticic to a shoulder injury early in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles in London. That forced Liam Cohen and the Jacksonville coaching staff to move DaVon Hamilton to defensive end to handle the snap duties against the Eagles.
While Hamilton’s first long shot on Sunday was perfect, things were less precise after that.
Before we get to those clips, let’s talk about the holding operation. Cooke holds off right-footed Cam Little. Here’s what happens before the shot: Cooke will take his position about seven yards behind the ball, move into his stance, put his left hand down to mark where the ball will be placed, and then tuck his left elbow into his left leg as a guide. Cook does this by bringing the ball back with both hands after catching the kick, and the left foot stops the movement, allowing the ball to be placed where Little is waiting.
In the image below, you can see Cooke tucking his left elbow into his left leg, waiting to pounce. In a clean action, he’ll catch the shot, pull the ball back with both hands, drive his left elbow to his left foot to guide it, ground the ball with his left hand, and rotate with his right to remove the laces:
Then everything goes as it should.
But when it doesn’t, the owner has to work a little magic.
After Hamilton’s Jacksonville touchdown, Cooke and the Jaguars punt unit drove in to attempt the extra point. Hamilton’s shot was high, but look how Cooke is able to catch the shot, place the ball and then… TAKE CAM SMALL’S LEFT FOOT OUT OF THE WAY:
Cooke has to adjust to catch the high shot, but lands the ball where Little is waiting. However, Cooke’s adjustment to catch the snap causes his left foot to move slightly and into Little’s swing path. So Cooke gives Lytle a clear path to the football by lifting that leg up a bit.
A similar situation occurred later in the game in a goal attempt: High kick, excellent adjustment by Cooke and a last-ditch move with his left foot to clear the way for Little:
Let’s take a closer look at it:
The kicking operation affected Cohen’s decision making on some fourth downs on Sunday. Late in the drive, the Jaguars faced 4th-and-goal from the Philadelphia 1-yard line, and instead of attempting a field goal to make it 14–10, Cohen left his offense on the field.
A jet sweep was stopped for a six-yard loss.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Jacksonville again faced a 4th-and-goal decision, now trailing 14-10, and Cohen kept the offense down the field. Trevor Lawrence pass intercepted.
Parker Washington Jr. Hamilton’s shot was high but Cooke still managed to get the ball down, but time might have run out as Little pulled the shot to the left.
For a moment it looked like it would be the deciding factor in this game, as the Eagles responded with a field goal in the final minute to take a 17-16 lead. But on the ensuing kickoff, Jaguars returner Ameer Abdullah broke a 53-yard punt return to bring Jacksonville to a field goal for Little.
And it gives Cook another chance to pull off something special.
Again, Hamilton’s shot was high, but Cook made the stop, Little split the posts and the Jaguars went on to a stunning 19-17 win:
But as far as Cooke is concerned, holding is one of those specialties that you don’t think about until you have to. And usually, in these situations, it’s because something has gone terribly wrong.
But sometimes, because the dome of the owner has something quite special.
As Cook did on Sunday in London.