Trailing 19-14, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson hauled in what looked to everyone to be a 25-yard touchdown with 31 seconds remaining against the Bears. The side judge on the field ruled it a touchdown, but the play was reviewed in the booth and ruled an incomplete pbutt. Despite coming down with the ball with both feet, followed by his body and then hand hitting the ground, Johnson wasn’t able to maintain possession, which is the nature of the rule. “I like the rule, because when a player dives and hits the ground all at the same time, I can understand that maintaining possession should happen,†Steve Mariucci said. “But in this case, both feet hit, and his rear end, prior to the ball coming out of his hand. This seems to be a different process, a different scenario. I’d like to see us re-visit that rule.†Marshall Faulk saw the play the same way. “To me, that’s a touchdown,†Faulk said. “But I understand the rule as it stands.†Source: NFL.com
merge [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSYDYI4F4xs]YouTube - Calvin Johnson Robbed of TD By Refs.. Lions vs. Bears Sept 12th 2010[/ame]
Stupidly worded rule. That was an awesome catch. He showed control with a 2 handed catch and then kept control all the way down in 1 hand using the other to break his fall. The last thing was the ball hitting the ground and then he lost it when he slammed the ball down and lost it. It might not be a TD the way the rule is worded but it should be and the rule should be rewritten.
Bullcrap. He "lost possession" because he was spiking it after making the touchdown. Let me clarify: the call may have been correct as to the rule, but the rule is bullcrap. Two feet in, possession to the ground should be a TD. He shouldn't have to get up with the ball. Do you want him to do a little dance too? Hold it for 10 seconds while standing up at least 5 yards from the sidelines? NFL is cat with these calls. Watch the play and tell me it's incomplete. Forget the rule: tell me it's not a touchdown. Ridiculous.
Horrible call. Once you establish possession across the plane, it's a touchdown. Johnson's knees had hit the ground and he had full control, that's it, it's over, touchdown. The fact that he didn't get back up with it is bullcrap
That's what i've thought for about 20 years. How is it any different from a WR diving over a pylon with the ball outreached and landing out of bounds?
Bad call imo. Should've been a TD. At the same time, Johnson's got to tuck the ball...just tuck it or keep the ball up in the air.
Thing is that last year they called the Mike Sims-Walker one a TD. Even in this game you can see one official call TD. I don't think the officials understand how to interpret the rule.
The Bears worked their asses off for 4 full quarters to earn that loss only to be ripped off by the refs at the last moment. WTF...
