The NFL's Official Change to What Is A Catch: Dez Bryant play rule rewritten *merge*

[Joefrl]

It wasn't just "going to the ground" that they had to prove, TD. It was "going to the ground in the act of catching a pass."

These were the requirements for catching a pass in 2014.
a) secure control of the ball in hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and
b) touch the ground in bounds with both feet or with any part of the body other than hands; and
c) maintain control of the ball long enough, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, to be able to
perform any act common to the game

They knew they had to prove Dez had NOT completed all 3 parts before they could say he was still in the act of catching a pass.


Steratore was not even disputing parts a and b. He was looking for part c, an act common to the game: Because if he sees it, it's a catch. If he doesn't see it, it means Dez was in the act of catching a pass. Obviously Dez was going to the ground, so that makes him a player going to the ground in the act of catching a pass. Now Steratore can apply the requirement of holding onto the ball through contact with the ground.

You think that Steratore's judgment that Dez was going to the ground in the act of catching the pass negates part C. Wrong. Steratore's judgment is based on part C. The rules said it has to be, and he was just following the rules, even if he came to the wrong conclusion.


Again, Blandino doesn't dispute part a or b. He "absolutely" considered Dez's reach as a potential act common to the game, and explained why it wasn't, in his opinion. Again, he had to consider everything Dez did after he had control and two feet down. He was only asked about the reach. But the point is, this is where their decision lay. They make it sound much simpler by brushing past the things they were actually supposed to be looking at in order to apply "going to the ground in the act" in the first place.

You've said that part c was negated by the fact that Dez was going to the ground.

If so, why did these two men look for part c?

Going to the ground does not negate part C. Dropping the ball when it hit the ground negates the catch per 8-3-item 1.

 

[Joefrl]

Welcome to the boards.

I think your interpretation is wrong on all of your posts, as has been demonstrated by countless posts (most effectively by Percy).

As for your reply to Zebra. The new rule says nothing about full body contact, just initial contact.

I am not sure what initial contact means. Initial contact of ball wh

 

[Kevinicus]

I am not sure what initial contact means. Initial contact of ball wh

Initial contact with the ground. It's not clearly defined either. In my interpretation it would be Dez's 3rd step, but it could mean anything really.

 

[Joefrl]

I am not sure what initial contact means. Initial contact of ball wh

I am not sure what initial contact means. Initial contact of ball with the ground, probably. Poorly written once again. But the entire body has to hit the ground once, that is common sense.

 

[Joefrl]

Initial contact with the ground. It's not clearly defined either. In my interpretation it would be Dez's 3rd step, but it could mean anything really.

Initial contact is in the part of the rule if the receiver falls before becoming a runner, so it's not a 3rd step.

 

[blindzebra]

All correct, except the time to make a football move is not only after the catch, but also after two feet are down inbounds and before he begins to fall.

Rule reference please?

I will attempt to explain this again.

Establishing yourself as a runner and not a player in the process of catching the ball occurs when a player A) controls the ball B) gets 2 feet down in bounds C) has time to or makes a move common to the game. Once you do those 3 things you are no longer in the process of catching a pass you are a runner. It does not matter if you started falling before ANY of those have occurred as long as all 3 are met BEFORE you hit the ground.

The falling player exception is for cases where one or more of A-C are not met when a player is going to the ground.

 

[xwalker]

You are correct, so long as the 3rd foot was down before he began to fall.

Falling should not matter once he has 3 down with possession and is not down at the time the 3rd foot is down.

 

[Joefrl]

Rule reference please?

I will attempt to explain this again.

Establishing yourself as a runner and not a player in the process of catching the ball occurs when a player A) controls the ball B) gets 2 feet down in bounds C) has time to or makes a move common to the game. Once you do those 3 things you are no longer in the process of catching a pass you are a runner. It does not matter if you started falling before ANY of those have occurred as long as all 3 are met BEFORE you hit the ground.

The falling player exception is for cases where one or more of A-C are not met when a player is going to the ground.

All 3 must be met before starting to fall, 8-3-item 1 is clear on that. "Starting to fall", "going to the ground", "becoming a runner", are all the same thing.

 

[Joefrl]

Initial contact is in the part of the rule if the receiver falls before becoming a runner, so it's not a 3rd step.

I think initial impact or initial jolt would have been better terms to use.

 

[Joefrl]

Falling should not matter once he has 3 down with possession and is not down at the time the 3rd foot is down.

It wouldn't matter if had 2 feet down and took another step, but that is not what happened. Simply put, if Dez was tripped by Shields, incomplete pass. If not, it's a catch.

 

[blindzebra]

All 3 must be met before starting to fall, 8-3-item 1 is clear on that. "Starting to fall", "going to the ground", "becoming a runner", are all the same thing.

Rule reference to support that nonsense please?

 

[Kevinicus]

Initial contact is in the part of the rule if the receiver falls before becoming a runner, so it's not a 3rd step.

When does the fall begin?

 

[blindzebra]

It wouldn't matter if had 2 feet down and took another step, but that is not what happened. Simply put, if Dez was tripped by Shields, incomplete pass. If not, it's a catch.

He was tripped by Shields after two were down he turned a football move and a step a football move.

 

[Kevinicus]

All 3 must be met before starting to fall, 8-3-item 1 is clear on that. "Starting to fall", "going to the ground", "becoming a runner", are all the same thing.

The rule does not clearly say that.

And becoming a runner is the same as starting to fall or going to the ground?

 

[Joefrl]

Rule reference to support that nonsense please?

8-3-item 1

 

[Joefrl]

When does the fall begin?

They ruled it was when Shields tripped him, about the same time the 2nd foot came down.

 

[Joefrl]

He was tripped by Shields after two were down he turned a football move and a step a football move.

He was tripped by Shields about the same time the 2nd foot came down.

 

[Joefrl]

The rule does not clearly say that.

And becoming a runner is the same as starting to fall or going to the ground?

The new writing of the rule says that one must become a runner before starting to fall....."upright long enough".
The old writing said A,B, and C must be completed before "going to the ground" (8-3-item 1)
Both the same thing.

 

[blindzebra]

8-3-item 1

LOL, I rest my case. That means show where it explicitly says that all 3 must occur before a player goes to the ground.

So are you 2 deep or KJJ, because I am not going to give yet another rules lesson to a troll that either has no idea how to read a rule book or is just stirring up trouble.

 

[Joefrl]

LOL, I rest my case. That means show where it explicitly says that all 3 must occur before a player goes to the ground.

So are you 2 deep or KJJ, because I am not going to give yet another rules lesson to a troll that either has no idea how to read a rule book or is just stirring up trouble.

Rule 8-3 -item 1 says, and this is a quote "If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass............" end quote. The act of catching a pass is A, B, & C. We learn that from Rule 8-3-A,B, & C. Now use a little common sense, Those must be done before he begins to fall or before he starts going to the ground as they put it. The new writing says he must be ".....Upright long enough to demonstrate that he is clearly a runner". Same thing. Must become a runner before beginning to fall!