how is this not a touchdown

[Nitro]

Let me say this much: go outside, grab a football with one hand and hold it up over your head, jump in the air and land on your hip. If you don't feel any kind of release in your grip, you can argue that Calvin Johnson didn't, either.

 

My issue with this is that he didn't land directly on his hip. He had clear possession, landed with 2 feet on the ground, tumbled to his hip still with possession, then he let the ball break the rest of the fall. It was a mistake, but he CLEARLY had control of the ball.

[Real Deal]

My issue with this is that he didn't land directly on his hip. He had clear possession, landed with 2 feet on the ground, tumbled to his hip still with possession, then he let the ball break the rest of the fall. It was a mistake, but he CLEARLY had control of the ball.

Fine, just have someone throw you the ball, catch it on your toes and then fall back on your hip, keeping the ball out and up a bit, one hand.

 

Point was, it's harder than it looks. I've done it before playing catch with friends, landed on my tailbone as I was stumbling backwards, and I lost the ball at the moment of impact. If I didn't have a personal experience like that, I would probably be arguing against the call...but that ball was loose in his hand, and the only way he was going to retain possession was to follow it to the ground.

 

I've yet to see anyone argue about the closed fist, though. It's easily an indication that he lost his grip.

 

One other thing I noticed was, right after his hip hit, his arm suddenly shot to the ground. He was actually holding the ball out on his way down, but right at impact, the ball and arm start coming down quickly...just another indication he didn't have control of his arm, and losing control of the ball.

 

Find the spot on the video after the two feet hit, keep your mouse on it, and continue to click to go back, over and over again, from there until the ball hits the ground. It's clear as day, he was not spiking the ball.

[NomarFachix]

Good catch

 

[Nitro]

Fine, just have someone throw you the ball, catch it on your toes and then fall back on your hip, keeping the ball out and up a bit, one hand.

 

Point was, it's harder than it looks. I've done it before playing catch with friends, landed on my tailbone as I was stumbling backwards, and I lost the ball at the moment of impact. If I didn't have a personal experience like that, I would probably be arguing against the call...but that ball was loose in his hand, and the only way he was going to retain possession was to follow it to the ground.

 

I've yet to see anyone argue about the closed fist, though. It's easily an indication that he lost his grip.

 

One other thing I noticed was, right after his hip hit, his arm suddenly shot to the ground. He was actually holding the ball out on his way down, but right at impact, the ball and arm start coming down quickly...just another indication he didn't have control of his arm, and losing control of the ball.

 

Find the spot on the video after the two feet hit, keep your mouse on it, and continue to click to go back, over and over again, from there until the ball hits the ground. It's clear as day, he was not spiking the ball.

 

I know he wasn't spiking the ball. To me it looks like he was using it to break his fall. As I said, stupid mistake, but the fact of the matter is he had clear control of the ball while he was up in the air, on his 2 feet, and throughout the motion of the fall before the ball touched the ground. If his feet never touched the ground I'd be inclined to agree with the interpretation. But the fact that he had 2 feet down and fell while still maintaining control is where I think it's a bad call.

[Real Deal]

and throughout the motion of the fall before the ball touched the ground.

Well, at the end of the day, if you can prove to me that he wasn't following the ball down to the ground with his hand, it's a completed pass. All indications (the sudden change of the direction of his arm, the closed fist) point to a loose ball.

 

And plus, if he used the ball to break his fall, it's an incomplete pass on any part of the field as long as he's falling and not making a move after he establishes possession, especially when he doesn't pull the ball back off the ground.

 

The referees made the right call, and I don't see very many professional analysts saying it was a catch. They may not like the rule, and I wouldn't mind if the NFL changed it for endzone catches only, but it's still in place. Had they used the rule for the Super Bowl last season, they would've called back another catch that ended up being a touchdown (if I remember right, they ruled it a touchdown despite the ball hitting the ground).

 

Receivers go through years of learning how to catch and possess a ball. Calvin couldn't tuck it in because of the impact, didn't have his other arm because of the way he landed, and that ball was headed south along with his arm, little to no control, and the only thing he could do was follow it to the ground and act like it was no big deal. Should it be a TD? Yes, if they changed the rule. Is it? Nope.

 

But I really don't care enough, because it's the Lions. If this was the Raiders, I'd argue it to death because we only score two touchdowns a year.

[Nitro]

But I really don't care enough, because it's the Lions. If this was the Raiders, I'd argue it to death because we only score two touchdowns a year.

 

[fish7718]

 

Let me say this much: go outside, grab a football with one hand and hold it up over your head, jump in the air and land on your hip. If you don't feel any kind of release in your grip, you can argue that Calvin Johnson didn't, either.

 

The biggest notification that he didn't spike that ball was the fact he made a fist. Pretend like you're spiking a ball. When you release it, your hand is open. Now grip a football tight, and let it slip from your fingers. You make a fist.

 

Well come on, he's got 50 inch hands and gloves on them that are designed specifically so the ball cannot slip

 

Edited September 14, 2010 by Fish7718

[Real Deal]

Well come on, he's got 50 inch hands and gloves on them that are designed specifically so the ball cannot slip

I'd expect him to hold onto the football if he were running with it that way, but not on impact. Seeing running backs take a hit to the back, and they lose the ball without it even being touched? And that's when they tuck it into their side, with those gloves, with strong and big hands.

 

Love Calvin Johnson, though. He needs to come to a much-better team (like the Raiders). I just can't take up for him here (and I'm not even sure if he argued it after the call was made).

[BasX]

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/152/1284520824835.jpg

[Sportsguy9695]

this was a real tough call. I really thought it was a touchdown when i first saw it but then I watched it in slow motion and they did make the right call