The Calvin Johnson Rule Does Not Apply

[Dave_in-NC]

Dead horse but I don't see any way you can say that ball 100% hit the ground.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Okay, I just called up the ref and asked him about this. Apparently, they thought about the third step, but decided it was a "move common to track." And the body and arm extension was a "move common to yoga." Therefore, no catch.

 

[percyhoward]

Watch the video.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2015...t-was-overturned-is-the-play-in-cowboys-26-21

Note Dez's steps.

1st step: left foot comes down after making the catch.

2nd step: right leg takes a full stride

3rd step: left leg takes a half-stride. Why? Because the defender's foot is up in Dez's crotch. This is not Dez falling down, this is a tackle.

 

[Ken]

You watch it in real time speed and realize that he is falling...slo mo shows that the ground dislodges the ball......what do you call it honestly

See...that's where I am lost....I watched it 20 more times with what was just posted...the slow mo from the opposite angle. You still CANNOT say with any certainty that the ball hit the ground. It could have been his arm that hit...it came loose and he repossesed.

 

[tyke1doe]

According to the rules, it is a catch. The way they called it, it wasn't.

Rules, please?
I've seen similar type plays several times, and they're usually incomplete passes because the ball touches the ground.

 

[jimmy40]

All of this is moot if Dez just secures the ball and makes sure he's got the first down on a 4th down play. He had no business reaching out, the 1st down was way more important than the TD in that scenario.

I think the one that stumps me is, if a receiver reaches for a catch on the sideline, gets two toes in and then has it slip out on the way out of bounds... what is that? Incomplete?

every time

 

[George]

Whether Dez caught the ball in play, on the sidelines or in the end zone, he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of the catch when he goes to the ground, clearly he did not, the ball came lose when he hit the ground, so therefore it would be an incomplete pass regardless where he caught it on the field...it was the correct call, I hate the rule, always have, but it's the rule....

Alright, so exactly what frame of video does Dez lose control. Just because the ball hits the ground does not define loss of control. He still had the ball controlled in his possession in the end zone. What you are saying is that he lost control for a sufficient amount of time that was far more relevant to you and others than the time he took to catch the ball, take three steps, exchange hands, extend his body, landed on his right elbow, etc. I say he at least controlled the ball long enough to establish a catch but then gave up the ball when he tried to score. He would not have bobbled the ball if it wasn't for the football move to try and advance the ball. The football move preceded the ground contact thereby making it a completion followed by a controlled fumble. If treated objectively, Dez scores. There was too much action that preceded the ground contact that verified a catch. What you need here is a three second rule -I. E. you have to count to three before you touch the ball to the ground to prevent lousy replay refs from missing football moves.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Rules, please?
I've seen similar type plays several times, and they're usually incomplete passes because the ball touches the ground.

The rule has been quoted many times in this thread. There are three components to establishing possession, all of which Dez achieved before he hit the ground.

 

[viman96]

But it was continuous with the catch. If he had caught the pass, secured it, stops and then starts running towards the end zone, then if the ball comes out it's still a catch, assuming he recovers it.

But that's not what happens. Almost immediately after catching it, his motion carries him to the ground. You can't tell whether he's stretching out or whether he's falling as a result of the catch.

It was ruled correctly, according to the rules.

I disagree. Watch his left foot and you can see he digs into the ground for leverage to leap forward.

 

[Brooksey]

try taking the time and read and comprehend the ruling by the NFL....now if you can't understand that, I can't help you, IT"S CRYSTAL CLEAR!!

The only thing that is crystal clear is the rule. Their interpretation of the play is saying that Dez "Continued to fall and never had another act common to the game (football move). Their interpretation is wrong. Dez was not falling he was tripped after taking two steps and two he reached out with the ball to try and break the plane, which is an act common to the game and an act common to Dez.

 

[percyhoward]

Dead horse but I don't see any way you can say that ball 100% hit the ground.

Didn't matter as originally called (catch, down by contact), because the ground can't cause a fumble.

It only matters in the "revised" version of the call, which says the catch had not been completed yet.

 

[tyke1doe]

It doesn't help his case. Stetatore said that there was never a 'move common to the game' (aka a football move). Dez clearly extended not only his arm but his entire body (body went from flexion to extension in biomechanical terms).

Sorta like this play by Miles Austin against the Niners in 2011:

And we've seen this move many times before. It was a 'move common to the game' (aka a football move).

Stetatore says IN PRINT that he didn't see this move and that's why he said it wasn't a catch.

Hence, if this move actually occurred then his ruling is *wrong*.

This move actually occured (and the ball was secure). Stetatore did not interpret the rule incorrectly. Either that, or the countless times we've see players like the picture were called incorrectly.




YR

Do you have the video clip of that entire play?

The picture doesn't give us the full, er, picture of what happened before Miles extends.

 

[tyke1doe]

The lunge and extension constitute advancement of the football. If you can't see that I can't help you. The explanation for Jim Crow laws were clear too and they were stupid as well. He had caught the ball two steps before he extended. That was the clear thing.

Are you insane? Are you trying to drag Jim Crow laws in this discussion? Really?

 

[starman22]

it doesn't matter if it's in the end zone, side line or field of play, it's an incomplete pass

If it's in the endzone, he does not try to stretch it out and just pulls it into his chest....Touchdown

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Didn't matter as originally called (catch, down by contact), because the ground can't cause a fumble.

It only matters in the "revised" version of the call, which says the catch had not been completed yet.

One explanation was the ground CAN cause an incompletion. To me, if it never touched the ground and he re-caught it(I guess) it should have been 6. No matter what he had it in the endzone.

 

[percyhoward]

One explanation was the ground CAN cause an incompletion.

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.

 

[tyke1doe]

The rule has been quoted many times in this thread. There are three components to establishing possession, all of which Dez achieved before he hit the ground.

That's according to your interpretation. The refs on the field and in New York thought differently. And, really, just like last week, their opinion is the only one that really matters.

 

[Alohawg1]

From a Packer message board:
"I think "extending" for the goal line as a football move and not part of the catch is what needed to be determined on that play. It wasn't very clear that's what he was doing."

SMH

 

[loublue22]

No no no. One of the most athletically gifted football players clumsily fell forward 15 feet towards the goal line while extending his body by complete accident. Therefore not a football move ~ steratore

also he reached out with the ball in his hand to brace his fall!

 

[EPL0c0]

So basically Steratore said that he/officials did not see Dez make a football move (move common to the game) and that his taking 3 steps, switching hands and lunging toward the goalline were all done in the process of falling down?