Legions of NFL fans, and some of the league's coaches, appear as confused as ever about what constitutes a catch in the NFL -- even after a week of discussion about Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert's inability to maintain control throughout the process on a goal-line play in Week 3.
Week 4 brought two instances in which receivers lost the ball while falling to the ground but were still credited with receptions. Both calls were correct, but the ensuing outcry -- and failed challenges from each opposing team -- makes clear that the league's attempt to "clarify" the process rule has not yet taken hold.
The first play came in the Bengals' eventual 36-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Midway through the second quarter, Chiefs receiver Jeremy Maclin grabbed a 20-yard pass from Alex Smith. Maclin turned to face Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, took two steps and then absorbed a crushing hit that sent him sprawling out of bounds.
As he landed on the ground, Maclin lost control of the ball. Referee Ronald Torbert's crew ruled the play a catch, however, and the call was upheld via replay after Bengals coach Marvin Lewis challenged it.
The rule in question applies only when receivers are falling to the ground while making the catch and serves as a "bright line" in determining possession. Maclin initially was not falling. He caught the ball and fulfilled the NFL's requirements of "becoming a runner" by taking those two steps before Nelson's hit ultimately jarred the ball loose.
The same explanation can be applied to a play at Sports Authority Field later Sunday afternoon.
In the second quarter, Minnesota Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs jumped to grab a high pass from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at the Denver Broncos' 36-yard line. Diggs landed on the ground, turned upfield and took two long strides to the Broncos' 31-yard line. Only then did Broncos defensive back Darian Stewart knock away the ball, which Diggs immediately covered.
Again, Diggs was not going to the ground when he caught the ball. His journey to the ground began only after he started moving upfield, satisfying the NFL's requirement to become a runner in order to gain possession.
Last week, you might recall, Eifert did not take any steps forward before he began falling the ground. Like it or not, that's the primary difference between a catch and a noncatch in these situations.
Viewed in writing after a night's sleep, the rulings probably make sense. But in real time and live action, the NFL's definition of a catch remains vexing to many involved.
You still can't grab jerseys (usually)
A pair of plays in the late-afternoon games served as a reminder that the NFL still considers defensive holding a point of emphasis -- at least when officials can see it.
In the second quarter in Denver, the Broncos had a third-down sack reversed by the slightest of holds by cornerback Aqib Talib. The Broncos' pass rush had swarmed Bridgewater, who never had a chance to look downfield, but referee Walt Coleman's crew caught Talib grabbing the back of receiver Diggs' jersey about 15 yards downfield as he released him into the deep zone.
Bridgewater could never have completed a pass to Diggs, given the pass rush, but that jersey tag is precisely what the NFL was trying to legislate out of the game when it began this campaign against defensive holding last season.
The initiative led to 347 defensive holding penalties in 2014, including those that were declined or offset. Through three weeks of 2015, there were 75 such calls -- one ahead of the league's 2014 pace through three weeks.
That continued call frequency caused many to wonder why referee Terry McAulay's crew did not make a call Sunday on a third-down play in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward, after all, had pulled Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb's undershirt with enough force that the shirttail was left hanging from underneath his jersey after the play.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers' pass to Cobb was incomplete, but the hold should have resulted in a first down. How did McAulay's crew miss it? Check out this video from former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira, who explained that Ward's positioning blocked the official responsible for the call from seeing Cobb at all. Had it been seen, the tug surely would have resulted in a defensive holding penalty and an automatic first down for the Packers.
That mystery delay of game call
In 2013, the NFL made it a point of emphasis to disallow spiking or spinning the ball at an opponent after a play. The league considered it an act of taunting and wanted to minimize the possibility of a fight or other extracurricular activities as a result.
The rule is fairly straightforward. Among the reasons to call delay of game is "spiking or throwing the ball in the field of play after a down has ended, except after a score," per Rule 4, Section 6, Article 5(e) of the NFL rulebook.
Technically, that's what Chicago Bears receiver Eddie Royal did Sunday in the fourth quarter at Soldier Field after being tackled for a 3-yard loss. As head linesman Tony Veteri approached to grab the ball, Royal stood up and flipped it about 10 yards downfield. The ball went nowhere near the player who tackled him, Oakland Raiders cornerback Neiko Thorpe, and eventually came to a stop at the feet of Bears tight end Martellus Bennett.
Veteri threw his flag, and referee Jeff Triplette announced a delay of game "for spiking the ball." What would have been second down and 13 turned into second-and-18.
This would have been a good opportunity for Triplette's crew to use some common sense and recognize that Royal was not taunting Thorpe or anyone else. He was clearly frustrated with the loss of yardage. Royal did not spike the ball in any realistic sense of the word and hardly extended the length of game by not handing Veteri the ball.
Here's the best litmus test: Would anyone -- including the Raiders -- have faulted Triplette if he made no call there? Point of emphasis or not, this was one penalty everyone could have lived without.