When it comes to the NFL, one of the most incredible feats of sustained focus and concentration is the possibility of a team holding possession for an entire quarter. When I think about this seemingly impossible endeavor, I’m awestruck.
I recall watching history happen back in 2014 when the Dallas Cowboys held down the ball for a massive 18 minutes and 28 seconds of their first round matchup with the New Orleans Saints. It was a thing of beauty – one team absolutely dominating the other on offense – as if they were the only two teams playing!
The Cowboys didn’t score a touchdown that drive, but amassing 17 plays and 74 yards they easily marched down to the Saints’ five-yard line before settling for a field goal. It was that defensive pressure that kept the chains moving and held the Saints out of the picture all quarter.
It’s rare that a team holds possession for an entire quarter in the NFL, but the Cowboys showed us what was possible. As a lifelong fan, I know the feeling of being absolutely stupefied by what our team can do when it works in unison.
I also remember the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers who took the field against the Chicago Bears for a breathtaking, two-minute drive that lasted an entire quarter. With the help of eight remarkable first downs, the Steelers not only maintained possession but buried the Bears with a field goal for the win. If that wasn’t enough, they continued on to the Super Bowl and won their first ever championship.
It’s interesting to ponder how an NFL team might hold on to the ball for an entire quarter. Though teams usually run the ball for that long, there’s more to it than that – it’s about focus, communication, and some secret sauce, which somehow comes together to help make the impossible a reality.
The last and most recent team to possess the ball for an entire quarter happened in 2019 when the Seattle Seahawks managed a nearly 20 minute and 27 second drive against the San Francisco 49ers, ultimately losing three-points off a field goal. Even though the Seahawks weren’t ultimately successful, just getting the ball to that point in the first place was an incredible feat, and a reminder of just how powerful and talented NFL teams can be.
I’m always in awe of a team who can hold onto the ball for an entire quarter. It’s a remarkable accomplishment that takes equal parts skill, focus, and athleticism to pull off and I’m sure it’ll be remembered for a long time whenever it happens, regardless of the ultimate outcome.