So What is a Completed NFL Pass ?

[Kramer]

YouTube - Calvin Johnson Catch Ruled Not A Catch | Touchdown Overturned


Item 1: Player Going to the Ground.
If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass
(with or without contact by an opponent),
he must maintain control
of the ball after he touches the ground,
whether in the field of play or the end zone.


If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before
he regains control, the pass is incomplete.
If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.


INTERPRETATION -
there is nothing specific about how long a player must maintain control
of the ball after he touches the ground.
What is the process of a catch ?

It simply states that he must
‘ maintain control “after touching the ground,
which is where the idea of this being a process comes from.
The problem is there is nothing about how long of a process this is,
which leaves the rule open to complete interpretation.
While some, including the officials, may see the play and think it was incomplete,
others, like MANY FANS believe it was a catch

At the end of the day, the referee, must interpret the rule
because he simply interpreted the NFL's terribly worded and extremely
vague rule about going to the ground and making a catch in his own way.
I don't think his interpretation is correct, but that is apparently because
he and OTHERS
have different definitions about touching the ground and how long
this so-called process must last.


In that regard, the NFL is squarely to blame,
as it needs to clear up its own rules about catches.

If you look closely , when ball touches the ground , he only has one hand on it ...

Not clear possession ...

[Bobtheicon]

he must maintain control
of the ball after he touches the ground,

What constitutes touching the ground? One foot? Two feet? A butt-cheek? The other hand? (All of which touched the ground while he had possession of the ball).

Maybe it's not a stupid rule like I've been saying... maybe it's a stupid interpretation of ambiguity.

[Kramer]

Bob the storeys I could tell you on the ambiguity of wordings in my job
aren't even funny

Millions of dollars we're talking here ..


and i'm not even a lawyer or
a parrallegal

lol
i just say i'm a consultant and
leave it at that

[Steel]

The correct call was made with the way the rule reads. Agree that they need to come clean with what is considered down. Was it right by the fans look, no, but they have a job to do. If your mad write the NFL and or the Commish and let them know its BS.

Kramer, Consultant ? this could be interesting.

[LordCC]

Sometimes I think common sense should play a part in the decision making. I know it will never happen, but from my eyes, that was a TD.