Lions/SanFran Touchdown?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by UES

Can anyone help me understand why play below was over turned when a similar play that happened last year in the Lions/Bears game was ruled differently? Below is a summary of the play from yesterday's game:

In the fourth, Stafford connected with Nate Burleson on a 5-yard pass into the end zone that was ruled incomplete on the field. It was overturned after video review, giving Detroit a 19-15 lead. Burleson caught the ball and got both feet down, then lost the ball after tumbling beyond the end zone -- a play similar to Calvin's Johnson's well-documented play in the end zone that was ruled incomplete last year at Chicago.

I am not a football official just wondering what the ruling is? Thanks

For one they are not the same play. One play had a player go to the ground; the other had the player turn to move up the field and lost the ball after tripping over the netting. The play yesterday the receiver made a "football move" as to suggest he displayed control and then was ready to move up field if necessary, then went well out of bounds when he lost the ball. Calvin Johnson never showed control while trying to go to the ground. If Johnson wanted a catch, he would have had to get off the ground with the ball clearly in his hand. The problem is people worry too much about the myth of how many feet are down. That is almost irrelevant to any catch situation in the bigger picture.

Peace