The Minnesota Vikings’ historic comeback Week 15 win over the Indianapolis Colts was made even more remarkable by the fact that Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan had two fumble return touchdowns called back. One was reversed by an incorrect down by contact call, but it was the first that is especially interesting for our present purposes.
With 7:03 left in the first half, and the Colts already up 23-0, Indianapolis quarterback Matt Ryan threw a short pass to receiver Michael Pittman, who fumbled at the Indianapolis 40-yard line. At that point, Sullivan picked the ball up and rumbled for a touchdown.
Or so he thought. Referee Tra Blake ruled that Pittman’s forward progress had been stopped, negating the touchdown.
“The ruling on the field was that the runner’s forward progress had been stopped,” Blake told pool reporter Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune after the game. “Once he’s wrapped up by the defender and his forward progress is stopped, the play is over. So, any action that happens subsequently after that is nullified because the play is dead. That was the ruling on the field.”
In this case, the hit by linebacker Brian Asamoah drove Pittman back, and Pittman fumbled. It was a close call, to put it kindly.
Fans of the New England Patriots are wondering where that kind of consideration is for their team. On Saturday, New England lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 22-18, and there was one play on the Patriots’ final — and potentially game-winning — drive that people will be talking about for a while. With 1:05 left in the game, running back Rhamondre Stevenson tried to make something happen from the Cincinnati five-yard line. Instead, Stevenson was driven back three yards before he lost control of the ball, which was recovered by defensive lineman B.J. Hill.
Our season fumbled with this ball…💔
— Dalé 🇭🇹☘️ (@CFC_617) December 24, 2022
Now, if the Pittman fumble was saved by the forward progress rule, how is it that the Stevenson play wasn’t? Here’s what the NFL Rule Book has to say about forward progress:
ARTICLE 1. FORWARD PROGRESS. The Forward Progress of a runner or airborne receiver is the point at which his advance toward his opponent’s goal ends and is the spot at which the ball is declared dead by rule, irrespective of the runner or receiver being pushed or carried backward by an opponent.
ARTICLE 2. FORWARD, BEYOND, OR IN ADVANCE. Forward, Beyond, or In Advance Of are terms that designate a point nearer the goal line of the defense. Backward or Behind designate a point nearer the goal line of the offense. A pass parallel to a yard line, or an offensive player moving parallel to it at the snap, is considered backward.
So, it’s a judgment call on the part of the officials, and in this case, referee Craig Wrolstad’s crew didn’t think it had happened. And unless a potential forward progress call results in a scoring play, forward progress is not reviewable at any point in the game.
The verdict? Yes, Wrolstad probably should have called forward progress in this case. But when the rule book says that it’s up to the referee’s discretion… well, this season, you never know what you’re going to get in that case.
