The Lions were just robbed of a win

[1gobluedem]

I guess Jim Joyce is now refereeing pro football games. How in the WORLD can two feet in the end zone and the ball in hand not be a touchdown? Finish the process? PUH-leeze. Lions lose their starter, sputter offensively all second half, and then get robbed with 20 seconds to go. I am steaming.

[Urban Prairie]

1. Yes, the Lions were robbed of a win, and CJ was robbed of a TD.

Per Mike Pereira, NFL's VP of Officiating:

"MY TAKE: See the video above or read my explanation below.

Upon further review, the play stands.

With the Lions trailing the Bears 19-14, Johnson leaped up to grab what he thought was a touchdown pass that would have given the Lions a 20-19 lead with 24 seconds left.

But even after Johnson came down with both feet in bounds, as he hit the ground, the ball popped loose and the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass, which was the correct call.

The booth review by the replay assistant confirmed the ruling and the play stood as called on the field."


The ball "popped" loose as Johnson hit the ground?

Umm..no, he landed on his ass and the ball was never jarred out of or popped loose from his hands until he released it when turning over to get up from lying on the ground.

[Octafish]

3. Calvin controlled the ball the entire time.

He went up in the air and caught the ball with two hands in the end zone.
He came down with the ball in the end zone, landed on two feet in the end zone, holding the ball with two hands.
He fell down in the end zone.
As he fell he held the ball in one hand.
He fell in the end zone and the ball did not move.
He started to get up and he put the ball down on the ground.

The entire time, he was in control of the ball.

Video for those who want to see for themselves.

[Upton]

4. Baloney..

as soon as the ball touched the ground he lost it...

Lions coach Jim Schwartz:

"The rule is if you're going to the ground in the process of making the catch you need to finish with the football," he said. "He didn't finish with the football."

[Octafish]

6. Schwartz took the high ground.

The coach doesn't want to build a team with players who look for an excuse for failure.

As for Calvin Johnson: That was a catch.

You can say what the NFL said, I don't care. I'll go with what my two eyes saw and the replay shows.

[nickinSTL]

2. might not like it - but get used to it

it's a rule change.

I expect it will result in a LOT of calls like this one.

It will be terribly unpopular, and may be one of those rules changes that don't stick, but for this season, this is going to happen. Call it getting robbed if you like, but receivers need to KNOW that the rule has changed, and that they have to work harder to hold on to the ball as they come down in the end zone.

[madinmaryland]

5. Another thread about this?

Sheesh!

[1gobluedem]

7. To be fair, Mad, I posted this right after the game on Sunday

It appeared simultaneously with the other, more popular thread.