Surviving the Ground

We all know what a touchdown catch is, we’ve seen it since we played or watched football as kids. Now we don’t know what the hell the Refs are going to come up with, before or after the damn replay.

If a runner breaks the plane with the ball secured, then it’s a TD, but if the receiver in the process of catching the ball, even if the ball is secured while crossing the plane, bobbles it, as, or even after he hits the ground, then who knows?

It’s up to some guy referred to as “New York” by Al Michaels and the other broadcasters to make some inexplicable determination while Romo and Nantz argue whether or not they think it’s a catch. Even worse, when they bring in Stoneface no personality Mike Pereira to give his lame interpretation of the “rule”, which nobody seems to know or be able to figure out. Seven minutes later, the answer comes with no real understanding or explanation by the Ref on the field, ex-Ref or the broadcasters and we just groan and move on. It makes it even more insane when the all agree one way or the other and then the opposite ruling is made. Especially when the former Head of Officiating gets it wrong. Boy does he look like a jerk. The broadcasters and especially Mike P. used to cover the NFL’s ass but more recently they have challenged the final ruling more often. What rebels! Will they get admonished by the League office? What a scandal!

Is it a catch and a fumble or is it incomplete? Was it recovered by the other team instantaneously and whistled dead without allowing the defender to advance? Was it fumble out of the end zone? This is even more ridiculous if the play is ruled a touchback and the Defense gets the ball at the 20. More on that coming.

Completing the process? What does the receiver have to, take the ball home with him and place it on his mantle before it’s a catch.

Here’s how it appears in the NFL rulebook:

“A player who goes to the ground in the process of attempting to secure possession of a loose ball (with or without contact by an opponent) must maintain control of the ball until after his initial contact with 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, there is no possession.

“A player is considered to be going to the ground if he does not remain upright long enough to demonstrate that he is clearly a runner.”

But if a runner makes initial contact with the ground with his knee, elbow, butt, and has control of the ball, the play is dead and the play is dead if the plane is crossed.

The Steelers, in the game against the Patriots, had the game stolen from them when their receiver Jesse James was ruled “loses control of the football, and the ball touches the ground prior to him regaining control.” But he crossed the plane with the ball secured and he had control of the pigskin through that moment. What happens later shouldn’t matter. He broke the plane with the ball and was down, that’s it!

In general, it takes too much time and lacks common sense, most of these calls can be determined right away using simply the spirit of the catch. Let’s move on and stop killing the momentum of the game.

HB