Can a mod move this to Great Debates?
I certainly agree that James had control at that time. But possession is something defined by the rules. The definition of possession related to a forward pass involves “surviving the ground” which he didn’t do.
Control is necessary but not sufficient to confer possession. The video on the NFL rules page does a pretty good job demonstrating it. I think everyone agrees that he had control when the ball crossed the end zone.
I mean, you’re correct. The call was correct by current NFL rules, and my argument isn’t that it was an incorrect call per NFL rules, my argument is that those rules are fucking bullshit and need to be reassessed.
You’re not the only one who thinks that way. What do you think of the three choices in this article? Sounds like you line up with option 1. I could live with that, but I’d object to option 2 for all the reasons stated. I think option 3 is a joke.
In James’ case, it’s an easy fix…don’t try to stretch across the goal line. The fact that more than one player, every year, stretches for the last few inches, loses control, and fumbles out of the endzone for a touchback and turnover, should warn players from doing exactly that.
The rule isn’t nearly as convoluted as ESPN and commentators try to make it out. If you’re falling, maintain control until you’re on the ground. Bobble it and it hits the ground? Incomplete. Bobble it and you’re out of bounds before you control it? Incomplete. Instead of being the hero, hold on to the damn ball. If James doesn’t try to stretch out instead of just completing the catch, we’re talking about the Steelers taking the Patriots to the woodshed and how Brady’s gonna retire after he doesn’t make the Super Bowl this year. How anyone can look at a player not keeping control of the ball as he falls to the ground, the ball hitting the ground and bouncing, and argue he caught it, is beyond me.
ETA: Had James caught the ball at the five and turned to run into the endzone, diving out of sheer joy, and letting go at the top of his trajectory to let the ball fly out of the back of the endzone, I’d argue the opposite, but he did nothing other than drop the ball as he fell to the ground.
Yes - it’s clear he made the job of maintaining control much harder by stretching for the TD.
Steelers released James Harrison. We knew it was going to happen, and probably not all that long from now, but it still makes me sad.
There, there. Perhaps Santa will bring you another shitbag to spear someone’s earhole with. Cheer up! Maybe the Bengals new head coach will trade your team for Vontaze Burfict, thus completing the circle!
What you’ve failed to realize is that Harrison plays hard, but Burfict plays dirty. There is no place for Burfict in the Steelers.
Plus the next Bengals coach is going to be busy looking for a QB. If he wants to stay in the Bungles theme, he may need to talk Greg McElroy out of retirement. Also, may take him a while to find a place to live in London.
Yesterday clinched it. There is no catch that the NFL won’t overturn for the Patriots. Two hands, dragged toe, you could see the marbles come up, you could see the control, but sure enough, no catch.
So I reiterate from last week: nobody knows what a catch is. We know what one isn’t, though, and that’s anything that hurts the damn Patsies.
That’s an odd comment about pro-NE bias, coming from one of the board’s fiercest Deflategate cheerleaders. It isn’t as if the Pats need help beating Buffalo, either.
Yes, it was a catch, btw. No idea what Riveron was seeing, but he’s forcing some more changes to the system, and to the definition of a catch.
Harrison not dirty? WTF? He has been called for countless late hits, roughing, etc penalties, had paid out an exorbitant amount of money in fines, was routinely elected as the dirtiest player in the league by his peers…I mean, c’mon man! All you have to do is google “James Harrison Dirty” and there’s endless mentions of him.
I am willing to admit that Burfict is a dirty player. Why won’t you do the same for Harrison?
I understand that you cannot see the difference. That doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Did Harrison get fined? Sure. Hard hits, occasional late etc? Sure. Deliberately trying to injure people? I don’t think so. Kicking, stomping and all that nonsense? No. There is a difference. You won’t see it, but there is.
Well, Harrison’s a Patriot now, so everyone can adjust their opinions of him accordingly.
Brilliant move by the Pats.
They know that Harrison’s not going to bring it every game, and may not even bring it even one full game. But he’s good for a playoff game or two, especially if the other team’s wearing black and yellow.
He’s also spent 10 years playing under Mike Tomlin and 13 under DC Keith Butler. If the only thing he ever does as a New England Patriot is to sit in a locked room with Belichick and talk about Pittsburgh’s defense, it will be a worthwhile signing for the Pats.
Bingo, though to be honest, I doubt there’s much to figure out about Pittsburgh’s defense that Belichick doesn’t already know. Pittsburgh has been lit up like a christmas tree against some opponents, including Baltimore. Smothering Houston’s 4th string QB ain’t an accomplishment.
He’ll commit a dirty play during the AFC Championship between the Patsies and the Stealers and Collinsworth will speak about it in glowing terms because he’s a former Stealer, reminisce on how much he admires them, tell the audience that it’s just “good Stiller futbawl, haw, haw”, and then acquiesce to the refs because it’s the Patriots.
How horribly, horribly bitter.
And probably accurate.
That was my problem with a call. At full speed and for over one hundred years, that is a catch and a touchdown. In slow motion, frame by frame advance, you can see movement. Replay sucks; it was not supposed to be so ticky tacky, but only overturn obviously wrong calls.
Anyways, Ben didn’t need to throw into triple coverage right after that. Oh, well. But what a terrible, terrible loss.