The focus of this conversation has been all wrong since Dez Bryant willingly put the football on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Instead of chastising the player for not knowing the rules of the game or being acutely aware how crucial the situation was for his team, the resounding discussion has wrongfully been about the rules of the game being faulty.
What should be a discussion about the gritty Green Bay Packers and a dominant second half performance out of the league MVP, instead has been relegated to a circus sideshow with many people crying foul, blasting the NFL rules and supporting Dez Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys as having been “screwed.”
Let me clue you in on something Cowboys fans. The refs didn’t screw Dez Bryant or the Dallas Cowboys.
Dez Bryant screwed the Dallas Cowboys, their fans, his teammates, and himself by not knowing and understanding the rules of a game that he is paid entirely too much money to play.
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 1:
“If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.”
The biggest problem with this whole discussion is that most people are acting like this specific rule is there for one scenario, when in fact this Dez-situation (almost unfortunately) is included under part of a general rule designed to make it more all-encompassing and thus easier for officials to rule on. Based on the letter of the law, the rule was correctly enforced.
It’s not to say that the rule is perfect, but the NFL had to draw a line somewhere to prevent an already phonebook-thick rules manual from getting a few centimeters fatter by creating exceptions to the “process of the catch” rules. All that would do is further complicate the game to everyone watching, playing or coaching the game. In their decision to go that all-encompassing route over five years ago, the powers that be changed things for the people catching the ball.
Let me repeat that. THIS RULE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
Some people got the memo early and learned to adapt. Others like Calvin Johnson didn’t, whined a tune in 2010 that is all too familiar to us in the last 24 hours, and has since learned to adapt. People complained about it then and they complain about it now, but how much complaining has been done between 2010 and 2015? In my opinion, not enough to change the rules of the game. The players must adapt to the rules, not vice versa.
It is on the players and the coaches to make sure the rules are clearly understood and there was an obvious failure for both the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching staff, and a first-team All-Pro wide receiver who clearly didn’t know the rule, and then blamed the rule for his own ignorance. If you want a definition of the term zero accountability, I present to you one Dez Bryant.
Not only did Dez Bryant disgrace his teammates and screw over the Dallas fans, he was even too clueless about the rules to realize in his postgame comments that he was providing enough rope to hang himself publicly.
DEZ: “I want to know why it wasn’t a catch.”
TRANSLATION: I don’t know the rules of the game.
DEZ: “If we have to lose like that, you can have it. You can have it.”
TRANSLATION: I don’t know the rules of the game and don’t feel like I should have to. They were wrong. I was screwed.
DEZ: “I was reaching for the end zone. What was I supposed to do?”
ANSWER: Knowing it was 4th down and 2 and a do or die situation, you should have wrapped up that ball so freaking tight on the way down that your only fear would be that it might burst from the pressure. That’s what you should have been thinking. But you weren’t thinking about anything. And that’s on you.
It comes back to a term that is near and dear to my heart: situational football. A player must know what to do in crucial situations in a game to achieve a goal.
What was Dez Bryant’s goal on the crucial 4th and 2? Answer: Make the catch, secure the ball and get the first down.
What did Dez Bryant act like the goal was? Answer: Catch the ball and score a touchdown.
When Mike McCarthy brilliantly challenged the ruling on the field, I awaited what I knew was a close call. Although I was screaming for the challenge in real time, I didn’t know the exact letter of the law or whether the catch would be upheld or reversed. However, I was rocking back and forth like Rain Man muttering over and over again, “Process of the catch. Process of the catch. Process of the catch.”
In that time, as I awaited the decision from the replay booth, I couldn’t help but hear the voice of my former high school hockey coach Paul Butkovich in my head, who when warning us about the referees would always say, “Don’t give them a reason!”
And the message was clear. Officiating can go either way and is largely a judgement call of an individual not playing in the game. The less of a reason you give the officials to make a call, the less likely you’ll have a call go against you.
Simply put, Dez Bryant gave the referees a reason, when all he had to do was wrap up what would have been an amazing and athletic catch over perfect coverage.
The reason that happened is because Dez Bryant didn’t know the rules of the game and he was not situationally aware. And that was, is, and always will be on him.
P.S. — The Packers would have won anyway.
a-fucking-men
Amen
“The packers would have won anyways”
That has been the missing point all along. Assume the cowboys score, go further and assume they convert a 2pt…you don’t think the packers go right back down the field and score with 4 minutes left?
Seriously, you ought to email a link to the Dallas papers, this says it the best I have seen anywhere. Great job.
Careful with that one.
You know how they handle things like this in Texas.
On second thought…
Quite true.
Dez was not situationally aware and could have cost his team last week’s game, but the refs gave him a pass. Not this week. Sorry.
Ever hear Dez speak? Dude is not smart.
also email a congrats to Tony Romo, a great guy, courageous in the face of physical and medical risk, a wonderful leader and human being, a fellow WI boy from my neck of the woods [SE lake coast]. congrats for what? you say? this: we both got the chokin’ monkey off our back: GB for a far too long playoffs string of “one and done” and Romo for the sports media’s “4th Qtr choker tag”, right ESPN? [bet they will conveniently ignore that important aspect of the Romo story ’cause they would rather blather on about the “rules” BS and the Calvin J similarities].
First: The game never should have come down to that single play. The Cowboys missed several opportunities to take control of this game. With that being said…This was a horrible call reversal. There was certainly not enough available to over turn the call. We are YET to even see a picture let alone video of the ball actually touching the ground… This is the rule,
“If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.”
1. HE DID NOT go to the ground in the process of the catch causing the ball to be loose. He already had possession of the ball and went to the ground while making an athletic move common to the game of football. That move was lunging to the goal line.
2. He initially caught the ball and held it over his right shoulder with his right hand. He then gained full control with both hands, took two steps, removed his right hand from the ball as he was lunging (third step) forward. While lunging forward the DB stuck his leg up and further tripped Dez. Dez made several athletic moves common to the game of football while having clear possession of the ball.
3. The refs confirmed he had possession but did not complete the process because they stated he did not make a move common to the game prior to the ball hitting the ground…
There is zero video of the ball itself actually hitting the ground. Also there is no way they could conclude 100% that Dez was not making a move common to the game when he “lunged” forward. The refs never should have over turned the call on the field because there was not enough conclusive evidence to do so.
If anyone thinks the spirit of this rule is to take away catches like the one Dez made then you are full of it. I guarantee the NFL offices are not very happy right now and there is no way what resulted here is in the spirit of the rule nor within the rules to overturn the original call ruled on the field.
You can’t deal with the spirit of the rule. You have to draw a hard line and make it clear which is what the NFL did. The rule is not perfect, but is not hard to adapt to either.
Watch Jordy Nelson during his diving catches or ones that are even close to be considered process-catches. He gets under that ball and wraps up every single time because he knows until he comes off the ground and out of whatever scrum might be happening on the ground, until he gets out of there with the ball he knows that process is in question.
Being aware and smart is part of the game, too. Don’t give Dez a pass on this. This is all on him.
With all due respect, I have no idea what you were looking at Rob. For one, you cannot say without a shred of doubt that Bryant was going for the end zone. His momentum from running and leaping was carrying him in that direction it could be reasoned. So that part is out. Two, he never had true possession of it until almost simultaneously with his second to last stumbling step because Shields makes at attempt to jar the ball loose and succeeds for a moment as Bryant to regain control. According to the rule, it is not a catch.
That being said, I hate the rule. Yes, in this case it benefited the packers which was nice because I have seen so many of these types of calls go against the packers, way more than went for. But unfortunately, I do not believe there is a better alternative to this rule. Like what Andrew said, this is the best hard drawn line to establish what is a catch and what isn’t. It also makes the calls the officials make on these bang bang plays simpler(ish). Think about it though. How many big issues have there been with the language in this rule? Two in the past five years. That isn’t bad. It was just unfortunate timing with this one because it happened to be toward the end of a highly contested playoff game.
Kato, there is a rule that further states that once a player transitions from receiver to a rusher, that the ground can not force a fumble. Those 2-3 steps that Dez took after catching the ball transitioned him into a rusher. Therefore, even tho the ball hit the ground, it should not have been a fumble, Dallas should have gotten the ball at around the 1 yard line. And the call should have been ruled a catch and not been reversed. In your statement, you even say “His momentum from running and leaping in that direction it could be reasoned”. You just admitted that he was at that point, a rusher. Folks, read the rules!
Besides the fact Sam shields jarred the ball loose momentarily and bryant doesn’t regain full control until almost the exact same time as his second to last step. Look at the video. That is the most important part. And who said anything about fumbling? Ground can’t cause a fumble nimrod but it can cause an incomplete pass. And his leaping and running momentum was taking him toward the end zone AS WELL AS the ground. As he was going to the ground, he was going down due to his own momentum, not because he was being tackled as a runner. He never completed a football move. 1, maybe 2 steps at most stumbling off balance does not constitute as full possession making a football move
its funny how only packer fans say it wasn’t a catch. . . . With one foot down he had control of the ball then brought the other . . . . .like you said a ground can’t cause a fumble then why was it incomplete?. . .oh that’s right you guys keep saying you need to have possession of the ball at all times . . .oh Wait that’s only when you try to catch it going out of bounds, then yes you need to have possession at all times but that’s not the case now is it “Nimrod”. . . . .he was in bounds two feet in and that’s what matters oh and wait a minute didn’t his knee or elbow hit the ground before the ball came out. . . Yupp keep hating you guys or like this guy says “nimrods”
Are you joking? The ball clearly touches the ground in the end zone.
Great point Shawn. The other thing I wanted to mention is had this been a Packers player, he would have gotten the exact treatment Dez did. But does anyone believe Jordy or Randall allow that ball to hit the ground? No way. And why? They know the rules.
This really is not that hard. The receiver was coming down to the ground and–without establishing posession of the ball, let the ball bobble on the floor before picking it up.
Folks are comparing it to the Fail Mary. Wisconsin Sports radio personalities–you know who–are griping about it nonstop, as if they were pulling the Cowboys.
And so when a call does “go our way,” it works against us by diminishing all due credit that our Packers deserve.
It is all so disgusting.
Let me ask this…Has anyone seen an actual angle of video that actually shows this ball hitting the ground? Because I have not and if the refs have not seen the actual ball it the ground they cannot over turn…. by rule!!!
Also, He caught the ball and made several athletic moves with the ball.
I am sick of the NFL and the way they FIX games…
Don’t know who you are, bud, but are you really saying the NFL fixed the game AGAINST Dallas? Come on dude. If there was ever a fix on, it would have benefited Dallas. Hell, I could have sworn they were fixing it early on based on some of the spots y’all were getting
If you open your eyes you can see it hit the ground. It was obvious that it hit the ground. You might be color blind. Need to check with optometrist. Grass is green and his glove was not.
His hand was also to the side holding the midsection of the ball. The ground caused the ball to bounce up. Physics also says the ground contacted the ball.
the “faux” sports network, ESPN is running constant replays of the play [usually just before they cut away to commercial] that are deliberately edited to cut off the video just BEFORE DB’s lunge reaches the goal line and, squeezing the ball along the ground, it bounces out of his hand. so it is verified: ESPN is desperate for viewership and they will stir any cocktail they can to gas the flames of controversy here.
the latest quip [Sports Center’s take] heard on ESPN: “it was an ACCURATE, but CONTROVERSIAL call”… wtf?
The bookies likely did get the best result out of the game which typically happens when the favorite wins outright, but doesn’t cover the spread.
Who knows really? The refs do wield a lot of power. There’s no question about that.
First, I’m a Seahawk fan but my oldest son is a lifelong Packer’s fan…: )..I don’t know why, but he is. Looking forward to next week. I’m sure it’ll be a great game.
This rule has been around for a long time. You can’t use the ground to secure a pass. You have to complete the possession of the pass first. In the Hawks-Panthers game you had exactly the same sitch. Thomas went up for a pick and secured the pass with both hands. He lost it in the same way Bryant did and it hit the ground. First ruled complete, then correctly, incomplete. Any team with Dez Bryant will never win when it counts. He’ll do what’s best for him before he considers what’s best for his team. He’s not alone, but he’s the one that does it consistently. He got a break the week before when he ran on the field to argue with his helmet off. Somehow, someway, he’ll screw it up. Doesn’t matter, the Dallas D hadn’t stopped the Packers all day anyway.
Good luck next week.
The NFL loves controversy and they would not shut up about this play Sunday night. Let you said, the rule is clear and it’s not open for interpretation. Let the cowbabies have their bottles.
The real tragedy here is that no one, beside Packers fans, is talking about Rodgers playing the best football of his life on a bum leg. MVP and then some.
I don’t understand how everyone is so up-in-arms about this ‘dumb’ rule, but nobody really seems to be making as big a deal about what the Pats did this weekend. What they did with an ineligible receiver was pretty freaking clever. And it was within the rules! But it was somewhat tricky and clearly the Ravens hadn’t a clue what to do defensively with it. But nobody is saying that is a dumb rule…
I had friends on Facebook crying about Cobb’s catch not being overturned earlier in the game. Saying the refs were giving us one and the call clearly hit the ground and should have been incomplete… THEN Dez’s catch and they think the ‘girls got robbed… Both plays involved a ball hitting the ground. You can’t say Cobb’s should have been incomplete in one breath and then turn around and say Bryant’s wasn’t. They both hit the ground! What the difference was, to me, was conclusive evidence. You couldn’t tell that Cobb lost control of the ball. Bryant clearly had the ball escape from his hands after the ball hit the ground.
Really annoyed when people want to only apply certain rules to their team. But, it always comes down to the fact that if you need to blame the refs for losing a game then you probably didn’t deserve to win it in the first place. I love it when we demolish an opponent so bad that there isn’t a single excuse the other team can come up with as to why they lost. Those are the best feelings.
Cobb’s glove is under the nose of the ball. the nose of the ball therefore, is NOT touching grass. like they said before here, grass is green, glove is black. duh!
if you don’t know the review rule, it is this: the replay official has to go with the call on the field unless he sees Cobb’s football’s nose in contact with green grass. i have a recording of the game on my cable DVR. i checked it several times, and indeed, the shot from behind Cobb clearly shows a black “strip” between the pointy end of the ball and the green grass! so can we check another “faux comparison” off the books?
Easy killer. Wasn’t trying to stir any pot with you. Just saying that a lot of the same people wanting Cobb’s catch to be incomplete are also the ones wanting Dez’s to be complete. I just think if you cry for one, you can’t cry about the other.
Congrats on recording the game. I bet a lot of people did as well.
And the rule is that the official goes with the call on the field if he can’t find conclusive evidence to show the call was wrong. I think that holds more water than trying to prove that he did, in fact, catch it. The call was ruled a catch, therefore you need absolute indisputable evidence to say otherwise. That didn’t exist, therefore the call on the field stood. They didn’t need to prove he DID catch it, rather proof needed to exist he DIDN’T.
“America’s Team” lost because they cannot stop MVP and the popularity can’t overcome their lack of defense at the end of the game.
the real America’s team won. What’s more American that being owned by John Q Public?
I think the Packers were “victimized” by this rule a few years ago. I recall a Greg Jennings catch. I am pretty sure it was against Chicago. He caught it, got two feet down, and crossed the goal line. TD, right? But I think it was Charles Tillman swatted the ball out of his hands and out the back of the end zone. Ruling on the field: incomplete pass. SAME EXACT STORY!
Does anyone else remember that play?
Yep.
same exact story?? huh??
Win some, lose some. Spirit of Vince past. Time to prepare for Seahawks. Take it straight to Sherman’s face. Have Jordy or Randall burn his ass first play of game. Knock the crowd out of it. Go Pack Go!!!
if I’m not mistaken the “NFL offices”, ie: the ones involved with referees and reffing the games, WERE contacted to take part in the challenge decision. So it was agreed upon by the field refs and the NY offices, that it was not a catch. End of the story. Get a defensive stop and your team has the ball back with a chance to win the game. But, our MVP and the offense crammed it down the Dallas defense’s throat. END OF GAME. Nice win, thank you very much. On to the the NFC Championship game.
Its funny how everyone says open your eyes the ball hit the ground. . . . . . . .but like a reporter said dez is to damn good for the rules, he caught the ball then tried lunging for the end zone. . . .that’s too damn fast for all you haters out there and the refs . . . . Becham from the giants said “how was that not a catch?””. . . . .. .if it was someone from your team you guys would’ve forget about the ball hitting the ground and be more focused whether he had possession first. . . . Am I right????. . . . . Exactly shut up haters
No chance in hell. This article would have been verbatim if the Packers lost on a similar play. The catch should have never been in question. The guy catching it put it on the ground. End of story.
What came first the ball hitting the ground or possession of the ball?. . . . . .end of story.
Dallas losing. Next question.
I mean remember when the receiver would catch then get tackled and then a fumble?. . . .then the coach would challenge that he never had possession. . . But if he took two steps with the ball it was a fumble. . . . .cmon you guys
Hey Packer fan’s. Don’t sweat the Dallas noise. You go take care of business in Seattle and I promise you that nobody will be talking about what Dez did or didn’t do. Remember the week long hoopla surrounding the Odell Beckham Jr catch, which still resulted in a loss. Same noise. The only thing that matters in the NFL is winning. Everything else is irrelevant and quickly forgotten. I am not a Packer fan. In fact I think they are overrated and a bit soft on the road. But the beauty of the NFL is that the Packers can prove me wrong and make me eat my words. You gotta love that. Win on Sunday and the only place you’ll be able to see that incomplete pass will be on the Sports Illustrated Dallas Cowboy year in review dvd.
^THIS! 1000 times….THIS!
My fucking boss said why are you laughing:
DEZ: “I was reaching for the end zone. What was I supposed to do?”
ANSWER: Knowing it was 4th down and 2 and a do or die situation, you should have wrapped up that ball so freaking tight on the way down that your only fear would be that it might burst from the pressure. That’s what you should have been thinking. But you weren’t thinking about anything. And that’s on you.
Best thing I’ve read in a while
Screw the packers when u can’t beat them u cheat them cb4l
“Disgraced” his team … by making a truly remarkable play (catch or no-catch)? Stop!
Correction: He DIDN’T make the play.
He’s paid to be a wide receiver but doesn’t know the rules about catching the ball. I’ll stand by that being a disgrace.
One big problem with this analysis: you inadvertently undermine your own position!
Specifically, you say:
“What was Dez Bryant’s goal on the crucial 4th and 2? Answer: Make the catch, secure the ball and get the first down.
What did Dez Bryant act like the goal was? Answer: Catch the ball and score a touchdown.”
If he did the latter, you are conceding he made a “football move” in trying to score a touchdown after making the catch.
Yet, the key part of their ruling was that he ‘indisputably’ did NOT make a football move after making the catch(extend to try to score a touchdown). Without that part, they can’t overrule the call on the field.
So if your criticism of Bryant is right, by definition the call had to be wrong. Oops!
BTW, I fully acknowledge its quite possible, maybe even likely, that the Packers would have subsequently driven down the field and won the game. Would have been fun to find out.
My description of Dez’s thought process was based on his quote that he reached out for the goal line. I watched that play no less than 25 times and I can’t say he lunges out with the ball. I don’t know what the hell he was doing.
Regardless whether he was reaching or not, it was a process catch and he would still need to secure it for it to be completed.
So wait, he didn’t cradle the ball with 2 hands because his “thought process” was trying to score – yet he didn’t actually DO anything to try to make that happen? Whatever
Amen is right. What a hot dog. Just had to score that TD.
So wait, he didn’t cradle the ball with 2 hands because his “thought process” was trying to score – yet he didn’t actually DO anything to try to make that happen? Whatever
As far as “no knowing the rules”, I don’t know, As far as “no knowing the rules”, I don’t know, maybe Bryant …
– heard Dean Blandino (NFL head of officials who over-turned the call on Sunday) explain why this catch in last year’s playoffs was upheld http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/smackblog/chi-jermaine-gresham-dez-bryant-catch-20150112-story.html
– or closer to home, maybe he just recalled that HIS own touchdown 2 months ago vs. the Giants was reviewed and upheld (go to the 2:50 mark) http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000413895/Week-7-Giants-vs-Cowboys-highlights
Based on those, it’s pretty easy to understand why he might be confused by the call on Sunday. They sure as hell confuse me.
The article is useless and meaningless. He’s as biased as you are. He claims Dez took three steps with the ball. He didn’t. Sam Shields knocked the ball loose and full control happened much later. Don’t believe me?
Here’s what Richard Sherman had to say via a piece on MMQB:
Watching Dez Bryant’s leaping non-catch over Sam Shields makes Sherman go silent. After watching replays, he says, “If that’s the rule, that’s not a catch. And that’s an incredible play by Sam Shields. If he doesn’t stick a hand in there, that’s a catch and probably a touchdown.”
Now what makes Sherman right? I’d say about as much as your biased article.
Dez Bryant gave the refs a reason and he didn’t have to. Period. End of story.
Good night now!
^Two hands and maintain full control to the ground. Dez wants to be the exception to the rule because he’s special; he’s unlike every other reciever in the league. Please change the rules so he can win and cry tears elation instead of bitter, fully legal defeat.
Get off it.
Us Cowboy Fans don’t have to worry about a thing because this season…mark my words..you will not make it as far…Your old..beatup..and Rogers days are numbered…And about the Dez Bryant Catch…You Idiots obviously don’t See things right and can’t read rules right..It states that if a receiver has possession of the ball first. He Has to loose possession of the ball before he hits the ground for it to be an incomplete pass…If you slow motion the re-play he is clearly in possession of the ball with one hand the ball cleared the plain and the ball coming out of his hands was caused by the ground…And by the way 80 percent or more and even commentators and reporters say without a doubt…It was a catch and Dallas got robbed on another hail mary pass..you do remember that don’t you..I’m sure you were on Minnesota side.