10-05-2015, 04:42 PM
(10-05-2015, 03:17 PM)spazz70 Wrote: Comparing that catch and Eifert's catch is not possible. Eifert's was at the goal line...that rule is different than in the field of play and sideline rules.
Actually, I don't think the rules are different. The only thing that matters is this: IS THE RECEIVER A RUNNER? In other words, has the receiver done "something" that changes his "status" from receiver to runner. That "something" is (1)getting both feet on the ground; and (2) making a "football move" once both feet are down. OK that's two "somethings" but WTF.
Let's say that Eifert's catch had gone a little differently ... Eifert catches the ball. Eifert takes 2 or 3 steps and is in possession of the football. Eifert reaches for the goal line and the ball crosses it. Eifert gets coldcocked by a defender and loses the ball.
Since the ball crossed the goal line in Eifert's possession and Eifert was a "runner" at the time, it would be a touchdown.
This is no different than if a running back stretches for the goal line and the ball crosses the goal line with the running back in possession and then a defender swipes the ball away. It is still a touchdown because the running back was in possession of the football when the football crossed the goal line.
On Maclin's catch, he got both feet down and then took a step or two, got coldcocked then lost the ball out of bounds. See #'s 1 and 2 above ... that's why the pass was called complete. Had the exact same thing happened at one of the "hashes", the call would have been "reception and fumble" (hopefully recovered by the Bengals).
