Did Jerrico Cotchery Make The Best Catch Ever?

Something like seven percent of the population is left-handed, so I'm going to go ahead and assume that Jerricho Cotchery is right-handed. Supposing that's true, I'm pretty sure he made the best catch I've ever seen last night.

Consider...the ball was in the air approximately 60 yards...Cotchery was fighting off Ellis Hobbs a millisecond before the ball arrived...his body was practically parallel to the Earth when he made the grab...but more importantly...he snatched the ball with his left hand and secured it tightly to his shoulder pad - he didn't have to use his right hand to keep it from squirting free.

It was the height of concentration and (especially) coordination, and Cotchery made it look routine. I've watched the video thirty times and I still can't believe the ball didn't pop out. (Of course, Cris Collinsworth and Bob Papa hardly acknowledged it.)

No disrespect to Tyrone Prothro, David Tyree, Brandon Lloyd and AJ Green, but Jerrico Cotchery just made the best catch I've ever seen. To quote Lloyd Dobler, "I'm totally and completely serious."

And yet, if I was a betting man, I'd place every nickel in my pocket that history will forget this play pretty quickly - for a few reasons:

1. The announcers didn't make a big deal out of it.

2. The game wasn't on ESPN.

3. Cotchery merely walked back to the huddle after the play.

Somebody get Steve Sabol on the phone.

(Anyone disagree? Seen a better catch? Email me.)

-Brad Spieser (Brad@TwinKilling.com)
11/14/08