The Calvin Johnson Rule Does Not Apply

[The Quest for Six]

How many steps over rule this? One, three, six, ... ten yards. Dez took three steps.

He clearly caught the ball. The catch is never in doubt. No bobble, no nothing.

Eventually you can go down and not have to control the ball throughout the process of the catch. How many steps make it a catch?

falling and your feet hit the ground aren't steps

 

[tyke1doe]

Hey, that's fine. As long as we're arguing about the right thing: did the third step and lunge constitute a football move? It's obvious to me that it did. You disagree. But that's the right argument.

I don't think it was clear. He catches the ball then in continuous motion tries to extend for the goal. Based on how they interpret the rules, it's not a catch. And I've seen that play called that way almost every time. The only difference would be if Dez had his hand under the ball and the tip touches the ground. And that didn't happen. It comes out completely.

But those are the breaks. I'm kind of tired of arguing this issue because it doesn't change anything. It just makes us more upset and angry with each other. And I'd prefer to believe that the Cowboys will use this set back just like the Bears did when they lost the NFC Championship to the 49ers in 1984 and the next season stormed to the Super Bowl. We have the offense. We'll have Romo another year. And we have the offensive line. We have the coaching. We just need an edge pass rusher and a pass rushing DT.

I wouldn't put it past the Cowboys to make a play for Suh. Jerry and Jason might see him as our "Charles Haley." Who knows?

 

[TheCount]

I think he did. He thought, "I'd better secure this thing 100%." Then he secured it 100%. Then he thought, "okay, let's go score now."

Except he didn't secure it 100%, or we're not having this conversation.

 

[MagicMan]

I think he did. He thought, "I'd better secure this thing 100%." Then he secured it 100%. Then he thought, "okay, let's go score now."

Good point, Dez thought he caught it completely with no queston and was just going for the score.....had he thought otherwise I'm sure he would have not tried the dive to the end zone. As Michael Irvin pointed out " Dez is going to think about this for the rest of his life".

 

[JD_KaPow]

son, you're the one confused about the call, not me, every official is stating it's an incomplete pass...I didn't need an NFL posting to verify what I saw live, I said it was an incomplete pass before they even reviewed it by the letter of the NFL rule and I hate the rule, always have.

By the letter of the rule, it was a complete pass, if you believe that Dez made a "move common to the game," defined as (among other things) "attempting to advance the ball." I just can't fathom how somebody could look at that and not see him attempting to advance the ball.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

son, you're the one confused about the call, not me, every official is stating it's an incomplete pass...I didn't need an NFL posting to verify what I saw live, I said it was an incomplete pass before they even reviewed it by the letter of the NFL rule and I hate the rule, always have.

You're confused.

You told us to read Stetatore's ruling.

We did.

It does not apply to the ruling you are using because Gene Stetatore says *in print* that's not the ruling he was using.




YR

 

[percyhoward]

To me it looks like he caught the ball and started trying to get to the endzone after the catch.

If he makes a football move then the catch had been established and the ground can't cause a fumble.

Didn't look like Dez caught the ball and went straight down at all.

No, not at all. His first stride is a full stride. His second stride is cut in half when he gets tripped. Look where Shields' leg is. This is the tackle that prevented the touchdown.

This is at the 4-yard line. Does anybody really think Dez doesn't score if he's not contacted here?

 

[tyke1doe]

I don't have to give you a video.

His body is in extension. His arm is extended while it is cupped around the ball.

This is 'common to the game' as we see this all of the time.

You have possession, you are trying to advance the ball without fumbling it *before* you hit the ground. This is exactly what Dez did. Stetatore says, in print, that he didn't see a football move common to the game. We see clearly that this is the move that Dez used and it's common to the game.

YR

But you need the video to understand how the play developed. If Austin catches it cleanly, takes four or five steps then extends, it's not the same play as Dez's play.

And you should know you can't judge a situation based on one photo. There's a picture of Parcells and Belichick embracing. If you judge their relationship based on that picture, you'd think they were gay about to embrace for a passionate kiss.

I'll need to see more than just a picture.

 

[The Quest for Six]

You just told us to read Stetore's ruling.

Stetatore said that they did not see a move in common with the game.

It *completely* negates the rule you are talking about (CJ Rule) where it talks about maintaining control of the ball *throughout the process of the catch*.

That's why I wrote this thread. Two different rules.

Stetatore interpreted it correctly in the sense this is not the CJ Rule as you foolishly have tried to claim.

But his claim that he did not see a 'move common to the game' is ridiculous as I showed with the Miles Austin extension of the body and arm with the ball cupped around his arm.




YR

what was the move CJ made in the bears game??

 

[George]

as soon as the ball hits the ground, the ball pops up and therefore it's an incomplete pass...you have to maintain control of the ball throughout the process of the catch, it's the letter of the rule...and Dez did not..

Disagree fully. Too many football moves and ball control prior to the ground contact. That's why we have video. Maybe you should rewatch the video and write down what transpired after Dez caught the ball.

 

[viman96]

Look, I believe he caught the ball. But he doesn't stop his movement significantly enough to where it's clear he established a football move. But we can argue this forever. It won't change anything. We loss. It hurts, yes. But it's time to move on.

I moved on a while ago. This is just a pointless exercise because nothing is going to change. Everyone is just giving their opinion.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

By the letter of the rule, it was a complete pass, if you believe that Dez made a "move common to the game," defined as (among other things) "attempting to advance the ball." I just can't fathom how somebody could look at that and not see him attempting to advance the ball.

Probably because he just doesn't want to admit that he is wrong. Amazing how our society will stop at nothing to not cop to being wrong once in a while.

Here he's telling us to read Gene Stetore's reasoning and when we do...it says what I stated in the 1st post of this thread. The CJ rule doesn't apply here.



YR

 

[Dave_in-NC]

That's what I mean. The revised version of the call said the pass was never completed.

Official on the field said it was completed and down at the one.

Got you. Sorry I have a headache lol

 

[jimmy40]

I don't have to give you a video.YR

not unless you're trying to prove a point

 

[tyke1doe]

Pick another law if you want. The point is just because a guy can articulate why he chose to do something doesn't make it right.Clarity of explanation does not constitute something being correct. They asked you to ignore every key component of a catch and suspend time from the time of the grab until he finally fell and just concentrate on those two elements and you appreciate them for clarity. Of course about six things happened during that time that were actually pertinent.

I'm not going to even continue this discussion beyond this post. It's insulting for you to introduce Jim Crow laws in a discussion about rules governing sports entertainment. And I'll leave it at that.

 

[jjktkk]

I am not passing judgement. You can't even begin to understand the depths of my man love for Dez Bryant.

Even with that being said, you have to have the awareness to know, "If I do not secure this thing 100%, that's the game." and that should come before securing & scoring.

Not during the at of the game. A lot of adrenaline flowing. Agree to disagree.

 

[WV Cowboy]

falling and your feet hit the ground aren't steps

Never answered the question.

LOL, .. He caught the ball in the air, everything after that was taking steps to try to get to the end zone. Three of them and then a lunge.

The catch was never in question, .. not a bobble or anything.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

falling and your feet hit the ground aren't steps

Where does the rule book say that?

And the big thing...once again...is I showed where Miles Austin made a very similar play (body in extension, left arm extended with the ball cupped around the arm). According to Stetatore, he was looking for a 'move common to a football act' and didn't see it. But, we obviously see that and it's a move common to a football act.



YR

 

[plymkr]

So here's 2 questions that keep coming to my mind as I read this thread. 1. It is supposed to be indisputable evidence to overturn the ruling in the field. My question is am I the only one who thinks the replay only proves he caught it. 2. And this relates to 1, is how do you make contact with the football at the 4 and the ball bounces at the 1 yard line without the receiver making any football moves? How did the ball get from the 4 to the 1 without football moves? 3 steps in bound and a lunge is not considered a football move. If Dez catches the ball and gets two feet in and falls straight down, either out of bounds or in bounds, and ball is bobbled then the whole process of catch argument can hold water. But he didn't fall straight down. That ball was first touched at one yard line and made it to another yard line in the hands of a receiver. So for 3 yards the ball was in the hands of a receiver who got three feet in bounds. I think the NFL has to address what possession is with this after the season. How did the ball get moved downfield without possession or football moves?

 

[Kevinicus]

I'm not going to even continue this discussion beyond this post. It's insulting for you to introduce Jim Crow laws in a discussion about rules governing sports entertainment. And I'll leave it at that.