What’s a Catch?
The NFL and the game of football are wildly unpredictable. Whether it be coaches getting fired, players being suspended, teams changing location, or one loss by the Oakland Raiders completely shifting the AFC playoff picture, the NFL never ceases to have excitement.
A few parts though, remain absolutes in the NFL. Offense, defense, and special teams are the major components of the game as we know it. Players will be passing, running, blocking, tackling, and catching. Simple, right?Quarterbacks throw the ball to their receivers, and occasionally to the defense; Running backs try to hit the holes and rush for as many yards as possible; Offensive lineman hold down the fort, opening up gaps for the running backs and trying to keep their quarterback up-right. Even wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends block for certain plays. Defense will always be going after the ball, attempting to take it away, or tackling the ball carrier.
What’s not so simple? Catching.
There may never be a real explanation for the way the NFL has designed the “catch rule”. It is unfortunate for the casual fan, or even a professional football player to have to ask, “What is a catch?”
Organized football as a business has been in existence since 1920 when it was called the American Professional Football Association. In 1922, the name changed to the National Football League.
Through all of this change and evolution, the one major component of the game that never changed is catching.
It wasn’t until recent history that the NFL had it brought into question what a catch really is. On September 12, 2010, everything that was once black and white when ruling on a catch, faded into a gray area. This was the day a game winning touchdown was stolen from Calvin Johnson against the Chicago Bears in the waning seconds. The day “the process of a catch” came into play. Did he complete the process of the catch? Did he make a second act? Did the receiver make a football move? Calvin Johnson completed the catch. Whether that’s the way it was ruled is another story.
For about 90 years the NFL had no problem with the way the catch was determined. What has changed?
The process of a catch, in all of the viewer’s eyes is when a player grabs the ball out of the air, and comes down with it. That’s how an 18-year-old fan would view it, as well as a 90-year-old fan. It doesn’t matter who you are and what team you support, a catch is a catch. Granted, you must get two feet in bounds and have full possession of the ball, but there is still no explanation for what goes on in the NFL today when making the call about what’s a catch and what’s not.
Unfortunately, this works against the referee’s favor, as they have been scrutinized more in recent years. Officials are good at what they do. They are seeing a million and one things happen in a split second and they are still able to make the call.
It took for Sean Hill 7 seconds to get Calvin Johnson the ball on that fateful play. When Calvin made first contact with the ball, till when the clock stopped, was a ridiculous 2 seconds. The officials initially ruled it a touchdown, because it was, then later went to the booth and overturned the play. An incomplete pass. Once again, these officials are good. To make what everyone under the sun believed to be the right call, based on that short amount of time is absolutely jaw dropping. The problem is the way the rule book is written. They must follow the rules to make the call, and sometimes these referees and their mothers even think Calvin Johnson caught the ball, but the official judged the play based on what the rule book says.
Apparently, he did not complete the process of making the catch.
The “process” and what the rule book process is will never be settled until the NFL clearly states in the rule book what a catch is. No gray area allowed. They must allow the referees to make a clear call on the field.
Perhaps one of the most game changing, season changing plays of all time was Dez Bryant’s “catch or no catch” against Green Bay Packers in the playoffs in 2014. Yet another prime example of why the NFL needs to look at the catch rule. It’s depressing that we even have to phrase it that way: “Catch or no Catch”. A catch is a catch, right? I wish. This play was ruled a catch on the field, and marked down inside the 1 yard line. The referees then proceeded to go under the hood to see if Dez made a “football move” and completed “the process” of catching the football. I’d really love to know what that is, because according to me, he caught the ball. One, two, three steps, and a lunge for the goal line is somehow not enough.
For those who don’t know, after taking two steps, a ball carrier is then in possession of the football and the play on the ball is live after that. In the field of play, the ground cannot cause a fumble, and a fumble would be losing possession. In the end zone, as a ball carrier, as soon as you cross the goal line, the play is over. Unfortunately, this is not the case if you are Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant or any of the countless other receivers who have been robbed of first downs, touchdowns, or unbelievable catches. The broadcasters calling those two plays in particular said Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant made miraculous and brilliant catches.
I would like the NFL to acknowledge the player’s abilities to make these phenomenal grabs and to respect the ability of the referees to make the correct judgement when deciding a catch. Clean up the rule. It is driving ratings down because fans want to see their team make plays to win the game, which fans don’t get when you take it away because it didn’t follow the “process”. As a fan and a competitor, I can assure you the Bears and Packers didn’t get the right kind of feeling from winning those games. It was handed to them by an over-sized, and misunderstood rule book that is long overdue for change. A catch, is a catch. It should be simple. I can see it. Players and fans can see it. The whole world can see it. There are major problems with the catch rule. It’s absurd something as simple as a catch could raise so many questions.
