Mike Florio ,
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There were several controversial calls in Sunday’s Steelers-Ravens game. And all of them went against the home team.
Previously, we looked at the decision to overturn the ruling on the field of a touchdown catch by Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. Earlier, a non-catch (and, in turn, an interception) by Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a tipped pass was turned into a reception .
After the 27-22 Pittsburgh win, NFL V.P. of instant replay Mark Butterworth spoke about the decision to pool reporter Jeff Zrebiec.
“The offensive player had control of the ball and as he was going to the ground, there was a hand in there, but he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground in control,” Butterworth said. “So therefore, by rule, he is down by contact with control of the ball.”
Butterworth didn’t address the third element of the catch — performing an act common to the game and/or having control of the ball long enough to do so. He also didn’t address the requirement to maintain control through the act of going to the ground.
Butterworth wasn’t asked to reconcile the Likely and Rodgers rulings. We’re not sure they can be. If Likely’s catch wasn’t a catch, Rodgers’s catch wasn’t a catch. And vice-versa.
Like the Likely play, the Rodgers non-catch was overturned, ostensibly via “clear and obvious” evidence.
Maybe Walt Anderson will address one or both calls next Sunday on NFL Network’s NFL GameDay Morning .
If he doesn’t something’s wrong. Well, something’s wrong anyway. If Anderson addresses both of those plays, one less thing will be wrong.
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