NFL Catch Rule vs. NCAA & NFHS

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by 9thIsleZebra

I thought catch and TD. The ball was caught in the field of play, controlled by the receiver who extends the ball over the goal line plane. At that point the ball is dead......anything else that happens after is during a dead ball and should not have applied........and the TD should have stood.

Just imagine how silly this sounds. If the pass was in the back of the end zone, the very same thing would have been considered. The goal line is not a factor until you actually catch the ball. So this "he lunged into the end zone would be up for debate if he the ball was moving or even not firmly in the hands as well. So again, this is why this logic does not work either.

Originally Posted by 9thIsleZebra

Now if the pass was caught IN the end zone then we'd have an incomplete pass. If the ball had not broken the goal line plane then that also should be ruled incomplete.

Now, this makes no sense. If you have a play anywhere on the field the same criteria should be used no matter where. This is not a ball handler in possession of the ball that breaks the plane (until you catch the ball). The same way we do not give the ball back to a player that once had the ball and fumbles the ball into the end zone, we treat that the same no matter where it happens if the ball is fumbled into the end zone.

Peace