Fans and pundits alike continue to contest the NFL’s catch rule, which took center stage again last Sunday when Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James had a potential game-winning touchdown overturned because he did not “survive the ground,” per official Tony Corrente.
Ben Roethlisberger went on to throw an interception that effectively gave the win to the New England Patriots in a game between two AFC powerhouses.
The Minnesota Vikings found themselves on the wrong end of the rule the previous week, as Adam Thielen’s go-ahead touchdown was overturned against the Carolina Panthers.
“The rule is a lot different now than it was back in the day,” Thielen said after the game, “but we see it every week.”
Improvements in replay technology have changed the standard for catches, making it harder than ever to successfully secure a diving grab in today’s NFL. At full speed, officials rarely detect slight bobbles, but slow-motion replays clearly reveal even the most minute movements of the football.
“If you’re going to the ground, the ball cannot move, period,” said head coach Mike Zimmer, who had to stop himself from expounding further. The veteran head coach wasn’t happy with the overruling on Thielen’s touchdown, saying the day after the game that “the whole thing is messed up.”
The league’s stricter standard has altered previous perceptions about what a catch looks like. There’s also a greater sense of frustration with points being taken off the board upon review. The Steelers, for instance, believed they had locked up home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs with James’ touchdown, only to have it withdrawn.
Receivers now have the burden of demonstrating possession to — and through — the ground. In James’ case, he lost control while trying to reach for the end zone. Counterintuitive to their instinct, players have less incentive to stretch the ball towards the goal line and attempt to score a touchdown. Not only can they lose possession for an incompletion — as James did — but the ball can be batted out of the end zone for a touchback.
The Vikings receivers have altered their approach since the beginning of the season under new wide receivers coach Darrell Hazell.
“‘Let’s try not to stretch the ball out too often.’ They’ve been preaching that since training camp,” said receiver Stefon Diggs. “I think, in training camp, there was one play I stretched the ball out, and even if we’re not tackling, somebody smacked it. It happened to not hurt us or nothing, but it was just something small that we just took advantage of in training camp, just to kind of right our wrongs there so it won’t happen moving forward.”
The next catch wideout Stacy Coley makes will be his first in the NFL. The rookie from Miami made 166 receptions in college, however. He believes the college game has a slightly looser interpretation of the catch rule.
He’s correct in thinking so.
“If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession,” the college rule reads.
The NFL catch rule has no such phrasing that allows wiggle room for, well, a wiggling football.
“I feel like the situation with the Steelers, if that was in college, it would’ve been ruled as a touchdown,” said Coley.
As unforgiving as the NFL catch rule is, it is fairly black and white in that any loss of control is going to cost receivers as long as the rule exists in its current form. Ostensibly, replay quality will only improve and camera angles will become more abundant, creating an increasingly tougher standard for pass catchers.
“Our coaches preach, ‘Don’t let the referees dictate the end of the play,'” said Diggs. “Do what you’ve got to do as far as possessing the ball.”
