It looked like Hunter Henry got completely robbed on a third-quarter touchdown catch in Thursday night’s New England Patriots loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
He caught a Mac Jones pass right at the goal line and appeared to get his hands across the goal line with the ball in his hands. It was initially a touchdown … but replay overturned it.
The explanation for why? Walt Anderson, the NFL’s VP of officiating, had an explanation for the call, per the pool report: “He was going to the ground, the ball ended up touching the ground, and then he lost control of the ball in his hands.”
But when asked about why he didn’t have possession before then?
“Because as he’s going to the ground, he has to maintain control of the ball upon contacting the ground. The term that’s commonly used is ‘surviving the ground’ … he has the elements of two feet and control, but because he’s going to the ground, he has to maintain control of the ball.”
“Surviving the ground?” NFL fans had a very big problem with that:
NFL eliminated “surviving the ground” in its requirements for a catch back in 2018 yet it was used to overturn a TD catch in 2022.
Even added with the new rule:
“Movement of the ball does not automatically result in loss of control.”https://t.co/ohHonE3cuM https://t.co/tAQpNiZrGw pic.twitter.com/8YFRkjt3Q3— George Balekji (@GeorgeBalekji) November 25, 2022
“Surviving the ground” — a rule that hasn’t existed since 2018, yet it was enforced in 2022. I genuinely don’t understand.
— Andersen Pickard (@AndersenPickard) November 25, 2022
Anderson using "Surviving the Ground" to explain why the TD didn't count. Funny considering they eliminated that from the rule in 2018.
It was changed to make plays like the infamous Jesse James play TDs.This is why media has to question officials. So you can catch the lies. https://t.co/rNer4zoVal pic.twitter.com/mMRKCZAUZA
— Mike From Woburn (@MikeFromWoburn) November 25, 2022
They're all correct
From CBS News Boston:
Here’s the issue with that: It’s not the rule.
The NFL used to have an element of surviving the ground, and it was that piece of the catch rule that caused Jesse James’ touchdown against the Patriots in 2017 to turn into Jesse James’ drop against the Patriots in 2017. Nobody — outside of the Patriots on that one evening — involved with the NFL liked that element of the rule, so in 2018, the “surviving the ground” aspect was eliminated from the rule book.
Did Henry have possession?
For what it’s worth, his hand was underneath it even if the ball moved:
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 25, 2022
But the catch didn’t have to “survive the ground!”
