Instant Replay Question.....

[BGbootha]

Assuming you all just saw the instant replay of the Shepard Touchdown in the TB game..

My question....comparing two instant replayed TD's this season. This last one of TB and then the Shockey touchdown against sea.

How can one be a touchdown and the other not a touchdown.

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Using the info given by the announcers, why wouldn't someone falling into the endzone to lose the ball be a fumble!!! If a player makes his two feet in the endzone why is the play not over right then and there, how is this different the the ball crossing the plane on a run??

[Mercer Boy]

The only thing I can think of is that they said he didn't have control with it when his two feet were down. Then by the time he did get control of the ball he was going down on the ground, and then he lost the ball going down which is an incompletion.

[Free Bagel]

The main difference is that Shockey had control of the ball prior to hitting the ground. Shepherd never really had control, and the ball was coming loose before he hit the ground.

[biju]

The main difference is that Shockey had control of the ball prior to hitting the ground. Shepherd never really had control, and the ball was coming loose before he hit the ground.

Actually, the main difference is the Shockey call was wrong.

[Philly Pride]

The main difference is that Shockey had control of the ball prior to hitting the ground. Shepherd never really had control, and the ball was coming loose before he hit the ground.

Actually, the main difference is the Shockey call was wrong.

I think he actually admitted that the call was wrong too That's when you know the ref screwed up. I thought Shepherd had it, but I might be a little biased toward the Bucs.

[Sipho]

In that confusing ramble the ref gave in the Tampa game, he cited some rule. Is there a rule that a player has to maintain possession after he hits the ground? It would seem to me that the instant a guy has possession in the endzone, the play is over, regardless of what happens when he hits the ground.

[biju]

In that confusing ramble the ref gave in the Tampa game, he cited some rule. Is there a rule that a player has to maintain possession after he hits the ground? It would seem to me that the instant a guy has possession in the endzone, the play is over, regardless of what happens when he hits the ground.

It depends entirely on how you define possession and when one acquires it. If you're on your feet and make the catch you have possession when you have two feet inbounds.

If you're falling and have completed the catch you must retain possession until you've stopped falling.

In the Tampa Bay case, although he started catching the ball on his feet he didn't "complete" the catch until he was falling. At that point he must retain the ball as he hits the ground. Had he caught the ball upright, two feet inbounds it wouldn't have mattered if he started his fall afterward.

It's a bit technical, but the right call was made.

[SniperShot]

For it to be a catch you need to have control throughout the catching act. The Ref totally explained the rule during the Tampa Bay game last week I didn't see the Shockey one. It's tough but whenever I see the ball hitting the ground I always doubt the Refs will say it's a catch.

[gablefan]

The thing I don't get about it was the guy didn't look like he would have fallen if not tackled. Posession and two feet in the EZ should be a catch, to me anyways....

[KoopaTroopa211]

As explained by the announcers, the difference is the coverage. If he's standing all alone in the end zone, he only needs posession long enough to have 2 feet in bounds. If, however, he's being tackled as he's making the catch, he must have 2 feet in bounds and retain posession until the players meet the ground. The ball was slipping out of his hands while he was going down, therefore it's an incomplete pass.