Dez Bryant made brilliant catch. Cowboys hosed

[flyerhawk]

I don't have any idea how someone can understand the rule. He caught the ball, both feet, a knee and a forearm hit the ground while he's in possession, it's ruled a catch, then somehow it's overturned. If Im a Cowboys fan, I never let this die. I post on and on and on about it. (Providing me with great joy and entertainment.)

It the receiver goes to ground during the catch he needs to maintain it when it hits the ground. I don't think this is complicated.

The problem of course is defining what a football move actually means. To some he made a football move and to others he did not.

 

[Tharvot]

There was some slight bobbling and when he reached out with the ball, it clearly hit the ground. When he rolled over, it popped up in the air and he caught it again in the endzone. So, it clearly came loose, but the question is whether or not he had possession or not prior to that. It's pretty close, but I'd assume the vast majority of unbiased fans would say he did have possession.

Cut to the chase: the cowboys benefited from a botched call the week prior and got hosed by one this week. These things happen. They had plenty of chances throughout the game though, so to blame the game on this one call is faulty.

Actually, let me rephrase. The call yesterday wasn't botched, it is just a bad rule IMO.

 

[ducky]

It's pretty close, but I'd assume the vast majority of unbiased fans would say he did have possession.

He was falling to the ground when making the catch. Which means he has to secure it through the entire act of falling to the ground. Just having control and getting two feet down in that situation is NOT possession. He has to control the football and not lose control of it if it hits the ground in that situation.

 

[gordontrue]

It the receiver goes to ground during the catch he needs to maintain it when it hits the ground. I don't think this is complicated.

The problem of course is defining what a football move actually means. To some he made a football move and to others he did not.

That's not what the rule says...

Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 1 of the NFL Rule Book (page 51) states that “if a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact with an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball after he touches the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.”

It says the player has to maintain control as he (the player) touches the ground... not the ball.

Right in that same rule... it says if the player has (or regains) control of the ball prior to the ball touching the ground... the pass is complete.

 

[flyerhawk]

Cut to the chase: the cowboys benefited from a botched call the week prior and got hosed by one this week. These things happen. They had plenty of chances throughout the game though, so to blame the game on this one call is faulty.

This is what it boils down to. If you don't want the ref to affect the outcome, don't keep the game that close.

 

[Tainthappening]

He took 3 steps after securing the ball. Just a horrible call. Unlike all the cowboys haters I am not solely blaming the refs as the cowboys left too many opportunities on the field. I expect some kind of rule change as too what exactly is a foot ball move. If a defender knocked the ball out at the goal line it would have been ruled a fumble because he took. The packers obviously needed the refs assistance and you all will see why next week. The packers are going to be destroyed

Packers needed no assistance... give Bryant the catch at 1 yard line and Dallas a TD.

Packers still get the ball back with 3-4 minutes. Packers would only need FG and had scored on their prior 3 drives... Packers took the ball over and ran out the clock, Dallas could not even force a stop to get the ball back when needed.

Packers did not need any assistance.... Dallas defense was gassed, Packers would have scored again.

Look for something else to complain about... maybe like Murray fumbling the ball, that was the game changer.

 

[ducky]

That's not what the rule says...




It says the player has to maintain control as he (the player) touches the ground... not the ball.

Right in that same rule... it says if the player has (or regains) control of the ball prior to the ball touching the ground... the pass is complete.

You are completely mis-reading the rule. It really is simple. When falling the WR can not let the ground jar loose the football.

The last sentence of that rule is if he bobbles the ball while falling, secures the football BEFORE it hits the ground, and then the ball does not move when it hits the ground, it is a catch.

 

[gordontrue]

This is what it boils down to. If you don't want the ref to affect the outcome, don't keep the game that close.

I totally agree with this. If you want to make sure you win... make sure you've given yourself enough of a margin to overcome potential human errors or questionable calls, etc


BUT... I'm not a Cowboy fan... I don't care who won that game, I still don't. I'm speaking about that play individually, separate from the game, regardless of its impact in a potential outcome.


And I see a play that has no business being ruled incomplete... even after reading everything I could find from the NFL rule book.

 

[gordontrue]

You are completely mis-reading the rule. It really is simple. When falling the WR can not let the ground jar loose the football.

The last sentence of that rule is if he bobbles the ball while falling, secures the football BEFORE it hits the ground, and then the ball does not move when it hits the ground, it is a catch.

See people keeping saying stuff like "You can't let the ground jar loose the football"... "You must be able to hand the ball to the ref" ... .... But there's nothing in the rulebook that states any of that... unless the current updated rule book isn't available and all the online ones are out of date.

I pasted the entire rule about going to the ground above.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

1. You need to have the ball with two feet down. Dez did this part.


2. You need to make a football move common to the game. Dez did this with his "lunge" to the endzone.


3. You need to control the ball to the ground and maintain control throughout the catch. This is where Dez messed up and why it wasn't a "catch" because the ball clearly hits the ground and moves.

 

[packerzrule]

He took 3 steps after securing the ball. Just a horrible call. Unlike all the cowboys haters I am not solely blaming the refs as the cowboys left too many opportunities on the field. I expect some kind of rule change as too what exactly is a foot ball move. If a defender knocked the ball out at the goal line it would have been ruled a fumble because he took. The packers obviously needed the refs assistance and you all will see why next week. The packers are going to be destroyed

Lol at the haters. The Lions held on both defense and offense the entire game. The Lions were flat out destroyed after the cowboys allowed them to get a 14-0 lead. Just take your loss like a grown up and shut up.

Sound familiar skeezeks??

 

[Ksfnslayer]

Cowboys winning on 2 controversial calls 2 weeks in a row is pushing it and unlikely. What goes around comes around they say. By the rules it was not a catch. Rodgers may be back to near full strength next week and should be an exciting championship game!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

He took 3 steps after securing the ball. Just a horrible call. Unlike all the cowboys haters I am not solely blaming the refs as the cowboys left too many opportunities on the field. I expect some kind of rule change as too what exactly is a foot ball move. If a defender knocked the ball out at the goal line it would have been ruled a fumble because he took. The packers obviously needed the refs assistance and you all will see why next week. The packers are going to be destroyed

Unfortunate for DAL...but there was already a precedent...by rule it was not a catch...your argument is more with the rule.

FWIW with no rooting interest in the game...I thought it was a catch...same as I did with megatron's effort.

 

[Microwahevo]

He took 3 steps after securing the ball. Just a horrible call. Unlike all the cowboys haters I am not solely blaming the refs as the cowboys left too many opportunities on the field. I expect some kind of rule change as too what exactly is a foot ball move. If a defender knocked the ball out at the goal line it would have been ruled a fumble because he took. The packers obviously needed the refs assistance and you all will see why next week. The packers are going to be destroyed

 

[cezero]

The crying and ignorance by people starting these threads is astounding.

Bad rule, correct call.

That is all.

 

[Loneranger]

The crying and ignorance by people starting these threads is astounding.

Bad rule, correct call.

That is all.

you may be right on this - I'm a Cowboys hater but if that isn't a catch then WTF is?

 

[broncosmitty]

The crying and ignorance by people starting these threads is astounding.

Bad rule, correct call.

That is all.

I like that you call out crying about calls. But you aren't egging on the crying from Cowboys fans with this type of remark. Please refrain from that. Im looking forward to it being a big part of my week.

 

[ducky]

And I see a play that has no business being ruled incomplete... even after reading everything I could find from the NFL rule book.

Here is a link to the NFL rule book. http://static.nfl.com/static/conten...pdfs/11_Rule8_ForwardPass_BackPass_Fumble.pdf

If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.

They added the red to the rule book for just this situation.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

you may be right on this - I'm a Cowboys hater but if that isn't a catch then WTF is?

One in which the ball never touches the ground.

 

[ducky]

The crying and ignorance by people starting these threads is astounding.

Bad rule, correct call.

That is all.

I dont even think it is a bad rule. A WR should have to secure the football when he goes to the ground. If you take this whole process rule out, it would leave way too much gray area that would force refs to make a subjective call on whether a WR did or didn't have possession before the WR hit the ground.