IRVING, Texas - As soon as the ball is snapped, you've got four hands in your face. You turn right, go left and even cut back to the middle, but there're still two players hitting you with everything they've got.
You get knocked into the sideline, hitting an assistant coach or two, bumping into two players and maybe run into the kicking net before you can get back onto the field of play.
Meanwhile you're still running about 50 yards as fast as you can. You've got your eyes on the punt returner, wondering if he's made a fair catch signal. If he hasn't, you're trying to blast him. If he has, you have to get there in case of a fumble, or maybe he's not going to catch it. Therefore, you've got to get yourself near the goal line in an attempt to down the punt, inside the five or 10.
And yes, that's just one play. If there's a penalty, there's a chance you could go back and do it all over again.
Welcome to the life of a gunner in the NFL.
The gunners are the two players lined out like wide receivers on a punt play. Their job is to get to and limit the punt returner from making a huge play, while getting harassed all the way down.
So far this season, the Cowboys are getting exceptional play from their two gunners - Pat Watkins and Alan Ball. Each is tied for the team lead with 12 special teams tackles, along with Sam Hurd.
But Watkins and Ball will be under the gun this week, facing Philly's DeSean Jackson, arguably the most dangerous and electrifying returner this season.
"He's really good, he's a good returner because he has great speed," Ball said. "He's one of those guys you have to keep contained because of that speed. When he has the ball in his hands, he's pretty dangerous."
Then again, dangerous is part of the game for a gunner.
"It takes guts to play that position," special teams coach Joe DeCamillis said. "You have to decide just how bad you want to go make the play. But it takes some smarts, too. You have to know how to figure things out as you run down the field. You're in a split-second decision most of the time. There're a lot of things that occur most of the time. Plus, it's just a two-on-one fight all the way down the field."
And it's not just two players against one, but a borderline-brawl against two players. If there is one play that holding seems to be called the least, it's typically involving the gunners and the "hold-up" corners on the punt return team.
"My main thing is not to let people touch me," said Watkins. "Because if they touch me, they're going to try to cheat and grab me and hold me all the way down. That's my main concern - get down the field as fast as I can and don't let anyone touch me."
Ball agreed, saying the key to making a play from the gunner spot is right from the start.
"That first 15 yards is crucial. You want to get out there where you can at least run. If they get your hands on you, you can't really do anything. If I can get to the point where I can run and use my speed, I feel Ok."
Both Watkins and Ball said there's a big difference between playing the gunner spot near the Cowboys' sideline and the opponent's bench.
"It's pretty tough on the opposite sideline," Watkins said. "On your sideline, the guys clear out a few yards to give you some space. They don't move on the other sidelines. You have to weave through it."
So far, Ball and Watkins have been weaving through it rather well. Another reason for their success is that they have some experience on the flip side, too. Both Watkins and Ball serve as the hold-up corners. So they know a few tricks to stopping the gunners.
"It helps a little bit," Ball said of playing both sides. "Knowing the objective of a gunner is kind of good when you're playing against them because you know what he wants to do. And so you try to take that away. It plays both ways. It's a copycat league, so things that other guys do to you, you take notes and try it yourself."
Whatever Ball and Watkins have tried this year, it seems to work. The Cowboys rank 11th in the NFL, yielding just 6.7 yards per punt attempt.
And there have been some times where the duo, although starting on opposite sides of the field, end up meeting at the returner, combining for a tackle.
"That's the best feeling in the world," Ball said of sharing a tackle with Watkins, something that occurred twice against Seattle last week. "It's great to have the returner thinking, 'Man, I can't go either way because I've got both of them here.'"
The Cowboys can hope DeSean Jackson says that a few times Sunday night.
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Nick Eatman - 
