The Top 18 Catches in the NFL so Far This Season

What makes a truly great catch?

Is it a receiver who paws the ball with one hand?

Is it out-jumping a defender for the pigskin in the corner of end zone?

Is it holding onto the rock after getting smacked in the face by a linebacker you never saw coming?

Is it a player tapping his toes just inside the boundary as he falls down with the ball secured?

The truth is that a great catch could be defined by any of these scenarios or many others.

The one thing in common is that a top catch should make you go, "wow."

So what are the top catches so far this season? I don't know for sure, but the 18 grabs on the followings slides made me say "wow." So for now these are my top catches of the 2011 regular season.

Wayne a Rare Bright Spot for Colts in Texans' Romp

Obviously not every great catch can come in a victory. This is the first of two great catches by two different Colts players in one game, even though the game featured winless Indianapolis getting drilled by the Houston Texans 34-7.

Down 34-0 in the fourth quarter, Reggie Wayne showed Colts fans why at least he hadn't given up at 0:48 of this clip.

His ability to pull to the ball in with one hand and then somehow toe tap the end zone makes you say wow.

Twice.

Armstrong Takes 1 Small Dive for Football Kind

Ok, so it's not Neil Armstrong, but this catch by Anthony at 0:26 of the clip, a wide receiver for the Washington Redskins, is significant because you rarely see receivers lay out laterally for the football anymore.

Armstrong burst onto the NFL scene last season with 44 receptions for 871 yards and three touchdowns in 2010. He hasn't been nearly as effective this season so far (just four catches for 38 yards), but if he can make catches like this one against the Giants, he'll be a dynamic player in the league for years to come.

Dallas Clark Seemingly Defies Physics

I am a sucker for catches that seemingly defy the laws of physics. I love how Clark at :35 of this clip not only catches the ball with one hand, but slings it back into a position where he can turn up field.

This catch would be even more impressive if Clark had somehow broke the defender's tackle and turned up field for a touchdown.

But, I'm getting greedy.

Heyward-Bey Shows Why You Can't Arm Tackle

Poor Jason Allen, I sure have picked on him enough over time for his poor coverage and blown assignments. Though compared to what Heyward-Bey did to the veteran cornerback on this catch and run, my criticism pales in comparison.

I put Heyward-Bey's catch on the list not for the dynamics of his grab, but for his ability to just break away from what should have been a routine tackle and then blaze the rest of the way for a 34-yard touchdown.

The play was pivotal in keeping Oakland in an emotional game (after the passing of owner Al Davis) which they eventually won 25-20.

Steve Smith Gets a Cheap Shot for His Troubles

At 5'9", 185 pounds, the Panthers wide receiver isn't exactly a big guy.

But, boy can he jump, which is exactly the skill he shows off in this 54-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Cam Newton this past Sunday

Of course for his trouble, Smith is the recipient of a lovely cheap shot from Saints cornerback Roman Harper which leads to a melee. Harper was fined $15,000 for the unnecessary hit.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Saints got the final shot in the form of a 30-27 win.

Kenny Britt Teases Titans Fans

Before the Tennessee Titans Kenny Britt went down for the season with a torn ACL and MCL in a Week 3 game against the Denver Broncos, he had teased fans with his immense talent thanks to 17 catches for 289 yards and three touchdowns.

Indeed, Britt was headed to a season that would have further removed the 2010 version of Randy Moss from the fans' collective memories.

This catch at :08 with a Jacksonville defender all over him is proof of how physical and tough the 6'3", 215 pounder can be. Unfortunately for Titans fans, they will have to wait until 2012 to see more of Britt.

Megatron Transforms into a Step Ladder

Let's be honest, I could call this article/list the Top 25 catches of 2011 by Calvin Johnson and no one could really argue. He has 29 catches on the season so it's certainly possibly. But, this catch in Week 1 against the Buccaneers shows that even this 6'5", 236-pound receiver can jump, which should probably be outlawed for being unfair.

The touchdown catch proved to be the eventual game-winning score in the team's 27-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Lions haven't looked back since racing to a 5-0 start this season.

Cribbs Cripples the Fins

Dolphins fans may want to look away for the next three slides.

This catch by Joshua Cribbs in the end zone is a combination of a great concentration and effort by the Cleveland Browns wide receiver, as well as poor ball recognition by cornerback Sean Smith.

Regardless, the scoring play tied the Week 3 contest at 7-7 in the second quarter.

No, This Isn't Instant Replay

Trailing the Dolphins 16-10 with 47 seconds left in the game, Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy goes to the same right corner of the end zone where he found Cribbs and this time finds a leaping Mohammed Massaquoi for the game-winning score at :37 of the clip.

This time it's rookie cornerback Jimmy Wilson who is victimized, but he does at least get into the air to try and prevent the great catch and throw.

Vincent Jackson Dives, Catches a Ball, Gets Up and Still Scores

With the San Diego Chargers trailing the Miami Dolphins 7-0 in the first quarter of a Week 4 matchup, Vincent Jackson took it all upon himself to tie the game up.

What makes this catch remarkable is the poorly thrown ball by Philip Rivers and the fact that Miami's defense couldn't catch up to Jackson after he had fallen down allowing him to score a touchdown.

Jackson is an incredible receiver, but do you get the idea that there might be a significant problem with the Dolphins' secondary?

Gonzalez Starts the Eagles' Slide

Just about a month ago,the Philadelphia Eagles were riding high at 1-0 and traveled to Atlanta to play a Sunday Night Football game against the Falcons.

Tony Gonzalez arguably was a big factor in starting the slide that has the Birds currently at 1-4. Gonzalez had seven catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns, including this one-hand grab.

I remember watching this play initially and thinking there is no way it was a touchdown. Then I watched it again and again until I was convinced that yes Gonzalez did possess the ball and did get his feet down in bounds.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the 35-31 victory over Philly has been one of the few highlights of their season. Atlanta is just 2-3.

Victor-Y!

One of the biggest revelations of the season has been the play of wide receiver Victor Cruz.

The second-year product out of UMass has 19 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

Cruz started his electric run with three receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns against Philadelphia.

After he had eluded two defenders on a 74-yard catch and run for a touchdown, it was this catch and score that was far more impressive. Not only does Cruz outfight Nnamdi Asomugha for the ball, he then out-muscles safety Jarrad Page to get into the end zone.

The touchdown turns out to be the game winner in a 29-16 New York victory.

V-Jax Tortures Another AFC East Opponent

As good as Jackson's effort was against Miami, it paled in comparison to what he produced against New England in Week 2. He pulled down 10 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including this 26-yarder which he calmly pulls in with one hand while three Pats defenders look around helplessly. The touchdown pulled San Diego to within 28-21 late in the fourth quarter.

Alas for the 'Bolts, New England added another score and won the game 35-21.

Megatron Outduels 3 Autobots

With the Detroit Lions trailing the Dallas Cowboys 30-17 in the midst of an epic comeback that would earn them a 34-30 win, the Lions' Calvin Johnson shows the rest of the league that the only one who can stop him is himself.

Silly triple coverage.

Look Ma! See What Kevin Walter Got!

Some great catches are more about awareness than a perfectly thrown ball or a fingertip, one-handed crab.

This catch by Kevin Walter of the Texans is no exception.  Plus, the score gave the Texans a 33-32 lead late in the game, even though the Saints would come back to win 40-33.

It's probably a good thing the Saints came back to win, otherwise No. 52 for the Saints, linebacker Jonathan Casillas, would have been quite the goat for batting a ball right into the arms of the opponent for what would have been the deciding touchdown.

Nothing Moore You Could Want Out of Denarius

Rookie Denarius Moore had a coming out party in his team's heartbreaking 38-35 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Moore had five catches for 142 yards, but it's this 50-yard touchdown grab that put the Raiders up 35-31 with 3:41 left in the game.

It's hard to imagine the two Bills defenders having any better coverage, or Moore, a fifth-round pick out of Tennessee, making any better a catch in the clutch.

2. Dwayne Bowe Bats the Ball to Himself under the Big Top

You got to love circus plays and this catch by Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe fits the very definition of a circus play.

Trailing the Colts 24-14 with about 44 seconds to go in the third quarter, Bowe is mugged by defender Jacob Lacey on the play but still manages to keep the ball in play by reaching over Lacey, batting the ball a couple of times into the air and somehow maintaining his balance before hauling it in.

The Chiefs never looked back in their 28-21 victory.

1. Cruzin on a Sunday Afternoon

Down 19-14 to the Seattle Seahawks, Eli Manning lofted a deep pass to Cruz on the right with two defenders on him.

The ball is tipped into the air, but somehow Cruz maintains enough concentration to pull in the ball with one hand and then continue to run to the end zone.

His salsa routine celebration is a humorous end to one of the most dynamic plays you'll ever see.

Unfortunately for Cruz, he tips a pass later in the game that is picked off by the Seahawks Brandon Browner who returns the interception 94 yards for a touchdown to seal a win for Seattle.