Former Ref: NFL’s Catch Rule Isn’t Too Vague, but There’s a Need for Consistency

October 23, 2015   ·   Sean Tomlinson   ·   Jump to comments

Have you mastered the fine art of frame-by-frame NFL catch analysis yet? Can you see when the second foot hits the ground, and when the ball has settled comfortably in a receiver's hands? What about when a pass-catcher has clearly become a runner, as defined by the rules?
Getting through a week without the need for Zapruder-style scrutiny of what, in theory, should be a simple football act has become difficult. And recently, two similar plays with opposite rulings have fueled the national nightmare of catch confusion.
The goal line and the rather important effort to score a touchdown was involved in both. First, back in Week 3, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert had the ball knocked out after he put two hands on it and two feet on the ground, all while spinning to reach for the end zone.
That play was initially ruled a touchdown on the field, with officials deciding Eifert had properly demonstrated possession by going through the required checklist we're all far t...

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