Belicheck

I think it was spotted a little short of where it should have been but still not a first down. When he left the ground to make the catch his foot was literally just barely past the line and he was leaning forward back towards the line of scrimmage and moving in that same direction.

So at best he first touched it at the first down line, then bobbled while his momentum carried him the wrong way. You don't have possession until you touch the ground right? He didn't get possession, pass the line and then got driven back... so it wouldn't seem the forward momentum argument could be applied.


I don't think they could have won a challenge.

 

It would make it all the sweeter if they really did get hosed.

 

He had possesion in the air and was contacted by a defender stopping his forward progress. At that point the officials determine where he was once he had possesion and was contacted stopping progress. You don't need feet down in that situation.

 

you need feet down to have posession.

 

Feet down to ensure a completion. But not forward progress.

If you jump in the air, catch the ball at the 31, get hit and land in bounds at the 29, you get the ball at the 31.

In this case, there was a short bobble as he was pushed backwards. The ref saw the bobble, and had to determine the spot where he gained control. That's the tough part.

We are talking 6 inches one way or another.

 

Assume a receiver is running straight back towards the qb jumps catches beyond first down but lands short of first down runs and is tackled short. What's that? Not saying that's what happened, just curious

 

Forward progress has to be stopped by a defender.

If forward progress is stopped by a defensive hit and the receiver stays on his feet and begins losing yardage on his own, then he is no longer awarded forward progress.

 

I'm saying you don't need feet down to determine the mark of the ball. The player can obtain forward progress in the air.

 

The problem was the ref making the call saw the original bobble then lost sight of the play so he marked the ball where Faulk landed. From the other side of the field you can see Faulk gain control almost immediately.

He bobbled it briefly then had possession right at the marker. It would have been close.

 

Not if you don't have posession. He had his feet down close to the marker, but he didn't have the ball secure.


Doesn't really matter. Tell me a single time.

any time at all.

Any.

Any.

Any.
Any single time a referee has overruled his own spot.

Bold call, wasn't a first down.