Can someone please explain (1 Viewer)

[Bankerguy]

I understand the first part of this rule and it makes sense..... that being. IF the official rules a force out then there cannot be a challenge to see if the WR had his two feet in bounds.

What I don't understand is:

IF NO force out is ruled, why can't this be reviewed in determining whether it is a catch or not. There was an example of this in the Dallas/NE game where Owens was forced out and after replay it was still incorrectly called. *OH*...for those humble Pats fans, I am not making excuses for the loss, in fact we still scored on that drive anyway. Don't worry the entire media is still slurping your team. Honestly, I just want to understand if the referee can rule a Force Out during a challenge?

 

[mrspree15]

I guess its just a "judgement" call, like pass interference. I don't know why this particular "judgement" can't be reviewed, since it's not a penalty, but why would I expect logic from the NFL?

 

[David Yudkin]

Apparently the "forced out" part is not reviewable. So if it was or was not called on the field, no matter what they can't review that part. I agree it makes no sense, but that apparently is the rule.

 

[Sopranos]

I think its as simple as: A play will not be reviewed if a pushout is the only reason it wasnt called a catch. If it wasnt called on the field they wont review JUST a pushout. Now they will review it if there was a question of controll...

Thats my guess

 

[smcindoe]

Here's the basics...

Replay is only for true/false situations where the call is either right or wrong. Ball breaking the plane, in/out of bounds, etc. Areas where there's no room for interpretation. The "force out" call is considered a judgment call, like holding or pass interference. It's not subject to review.

So if the referee calls (or doesn't call) a force out, that particular call can't be reviewed, just like you can't throw the red flag on a holding call. However, a receiver still needs to make a legal catch on a force out play, and that can be reviewed. That's why you still see challenges on force out calls -- it's not the actual call they're challenging, but whether the player held onto the ball.

The one problem with all this, as far as I can figure, is that the official can not rule that a player was in-bounds and forced out at the same time. So if the ref decides a player was "forced out" but still came down in bounds, the call on the field is that he was in bounds. That can be challenged and overturned. There's no opportunity for the ref to say "well, OK, he was out of bounds but it was a force out anyways". It's a bit of a loophole that comes up a few times a season, where a player is obviously forced out but the ref incorrectly rules that he was in bounds, and it ends up being no catch after review.

 

[Bankerguy]

Apparently the "forced out" part is not reviewable. So if it was or was not called on the field, no matter what they can't review that part. I agree it makes no sense, but that apparently is the rule.

OK thanks.......just wanted to know.I hope the Competition Committee changes this rule.

 

[apalmer]

No. Same thing happened in the Steeler game last week (I think it was Heath Miller). They cannont change the call from "in bounds" to "force out" based on the replay. The onyl rationale I can think of is that if the league allows them to decide from a replay that a guy was forced out after not calling it live, they are "admitting" you can make that determination from a replay. That means they would have to open up for challenges the other way (i.e., if "force out" is called it could be reviewed).