The Game Ball Thread: Week 15 at Pittsburgh

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

He did though. Maybe you could have ruled a fumble.

You just don't understand the rule. If you go to the ground, you must complete the act through the ground. Holding up the ball. Voluntary releasing it. Some manifestation of control through the ground is needed.

A TD can never be scored until there is possession and there is no possession until there is a catch.

 

[Pxer]

Eric Rowe from goat to hero.

And Gronk. Real MVP.

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

He did though. Maybe you could have ruled a fumble.

You clearly don’t understand what that means or are being purposefully obtuse.

Let’s go slow..... during the process of attempting to make a catch he feel to the ground. Falling to the ground doesn’t end until all of you has fallen and stopped. During his process of going to the ground the ball hit the ground and moved. Because the ball moved before he finished falling to the ground it is not a catch by rule.

Everything you’re thinking is wrong. His knee, elbow, the plane. None of it matters.

The ball moved during his process of falling to the ground. Case closed.

 

[cgori]

You just don't understand the rule. If you go to the ground, you must complete the act through the ground. Holding up the ball. Voluntary releasing it. Some manifestation of control through the ground is needed.

A TD can never be scored until there is possession and there is no possession until there is a catch.

Exactly. Here's the earlier version of the issue (Megatron puts the ball on the ground):

 

[Ale Xander]

Gronk and Dion

No one else really close

 

[axx]

You clearly don’t understand what that means or are being purposefully obtuse.

I need to see it again. To me it looked like he was down and (more or less) started moving again because he wasn't touched.

 

[Bergs]

I need to see it again. To me it looked like he was down and (more or less) started moving again because he wasn't touched.

How drunk ARE you?

 

[j44thor]

The Schuster-Smith catch and run was devastating in terms of win expectancy and the emotional balance of the game.

Gotta give them credit for how they handled the wake of the play.

Not sure how much credit they deserve for that given James had the TD if he just held onto the ball. He was completely uncovered on the play.

 

[Reardon's Beard]

Dion needs a little more love in this thread after THE GRONK

 

[LesterFan]

Anyone have a GIF of that Gronk catch he basically picked off the ground? Ridiculous.

 

[Kliq]

Me, for never losing faith.

Seriously, Belichick. His teams may not always execute better in the last two minutes. And sometimes the other teams are better. But you just don't see panic.

The end game is chaotic. They stop having commercials. Time out are only 30 seconds. Everything goes very fast. They may not always win, but you just never ever feel in the endgame that the game is too fast for his teams.

Hmmmmmm that first sentence is debatable. Coach and QB with five fucking rings son.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I need to see it again. To me it looked like he was down and (more or less) started moving again because he wasn't touched.

So, I can judge whether this discussion is worth having, who is your favorite NFL team. That may help.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Anyone have a GIF of that Gronk catch he basically picked off the ground? Ridiculous.

Or of his HULK-style celebrations and Gronk spike.

Gronkatron is here.

 

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

Anyone have a GIF of that Gronk catch he basically picked off the ground? Ridiculous.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Hmmmmmm that first sentence is debatable. Coach and QB with five fucking rings son.

It was a joke.

Still want no part of them again, but I did not expect the defense to hold up.

 

[AbbyNoho]

MVP to the twitterverse for their hilarious reaction. The NFL is one big conspiracy for helping out the Patriots. You know, the team that lost their QB because they couldn't prove that a football wasn't inflated a half a PSI off regulation. That's the team the NFL rigs the games in favor of.

 

[zoolight.space]

You just don't understand the rule. If you go to the ground, you must complete the act through the ground. Holding up the ball. Voluntary releasing it. Some manifestation of control through the ground is needed.

A TD can never be scored until there is possession and there is no possession until there is a catch.

If he didn’t catch the ball then how was he able to move the ball from “not in the end zone” to “in the end zone?” Magic?

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Why the FUCK did Roethlisberger throw a SLANT on that fake spike?

Throw a fucking low-risk fade there, you've got the FG in the bag.

Wild to throw it in that danger zone.

 

[snowmanny]

Roethlisberger for the horrible decision to "trick" the Pats with the fake spike, which didn't trick anyone but fucked up his mechanics and the horrible decision to throw into coverage when you have a guaranteed FG to go to OT, and the horrible execution on the throw. And to Rowe, Harmon, Lewis, Gronk, and late-game Brady.

 

[The Mort Report]

This might be my favorite non action moment in sports tv

 

[snowmanny]

If he didn’t catch the ball then how was he able to move the ball from “not in the end zone” to “in the end zone?” Magic?

He hadn't caught the ball yet, according to the rules of football

 

[AbbyNoho]

I need to see it again. To me it looked like he was down and (more or less) started moving again because he wasn't touched.

How are you down if you aren't touched? Did you read your sentence before posting it?

 

[54thMA]

Gronk.
The refs for keeping the flags in their pockets for the most part and for getting that last call right.
Brady; that INT was bad, but he sacked up on that last drive and was money when he needed to be after that shitshow last week in Miami.

 

[Captaincoop]

Why the FUCK did Roethlisberger throw a SLANT on that fake spike?

Throw a fucking low-risk fade there, you've got the FG in the bag.

With no time outs there, you clock it and kick, IMHO.

 

[ypioca]

They got too cute. You simply can't try to be cute with NE. They were all over it.

The most enjoyable thing in all of this, is another coach thinking they can catch NE by surprise with something like this.

 

[luckiestman]

If he didn’t catch the ball then how was he able to move the ball from “not in the end zone” to “in the end zone?” Magic?

This is a fair “principles based” argument. For better or worse, the NFL is not principles based, it is “rules based.” By rule, as bad as it is, that was not a catch and it is a fairly straight forward and non controversial application of the rule.

 

[DeadlySplitter]

Roethlisberger for the horrible decision to "trick" the Pats with the fake spike, which didn't trick anyone but fucked up his mechanics and the horrible decision to throw into coverage when you have a guaranteed FG to go to OT, and the horrible execution on the throw. And to Rowe, Harmon, Lewis, Gronk, and late-game Brady.

and the 2nd down call for actually allowing us to get Bell down in-bounds.

both playcalls after the overturn were just fucked. They crumbled once again in crunch time while we made the tackles and covered.

now take care of business at home and we don't leave Foxboro until February.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Hat tip to Harmon for not trying to take the ball out of the end zone. Could've totally seen a strip by PIT in that situation if he had, and how many guys freak out when they pick a ball in that spot?

 

[dbn]

Obviously and appropriately already covered so far, Gronkowski. Lewis has also been mentioned and deservedly so. I'll add that the play calling was soooo much better than last week, so tip of the hat to McD.

Someones on the D were doing things right tonight, considering I recognize about 3% of the names on the front 7 yet they didn't give up a brazillion points. Not game ball-worthy, but I noticed some good plays the three safeties Chung, McCourty, and Harmon.

 

[zoolight.space]

He hadn't caught the ball yet, according to the rules of football

Looked like he caught the ball at the one yard line, had a knee down but hadn’t been touched so made a move and stretched his arm out to cross the goal line for a TD.

 

[RG33]

The football for not surviving the ground.

Stephen Gilmore for surviving the Gamethread.

Gronkalicious for doing so many Gronky things in the 2nd half.

Tom Brady for delivering in the 4th quarter even though the end is clearly nigh.

 

[H78]

I think Ben threw it because that whole organization wants to beat the Patriots so bad it’s just destroying their better judgement in coaching and with the actual players on the field.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

If he didn’t catch the ball then how was he able to move the ball from “not in the end zone” to “in the end zone?” Magic?

Again, the rule is that the receiver has to control the ball to the ground. Its as simple as that. I don't think the rule is great and I would be pissed if I were a Steeler fan (or Patriot-hater). But its the rule. Period.

 

[cmurphycode]

(from reddit)

 

[zoolight.space]

Again, the rule is that the receiver has to control the ball to the ground. Its as simple as that. I don't think the rule is great and I would be pissed if I were a Steeler fan (or Patriot-hater). But its the rule. Period.

Agree it’s the rule and the right call. As luckiestman correctly notes, I’m making a principle-based and not rules-based argument.

And just as an aside, the Steelers losing is the single best thing in football.

 

[bigsid05]

GRONK for being in peak form late in the season. Keep him safe for the post season.

Brady for being laser focused when he needed it most.

Tomlin for thinking he could pull off an easy fake spike against a Belichick-coached team.

 

[snowmanny]

Looked like he caught the ball at the one yard line, had a knee down but hadn’t been touched so made a move and stretched his arm out to cross the goal line for a TD.

The problem for him was that he was falling as he caught the ball, so he cannot catch the ball until he completes the process of falling to the ground. During that process the ball touched the ground and came loose very briefly. That negates the catch. If he had caught the ball, run two steps, fallen then had everything that happened happen, it would have been a TD

 

[snowmanny]

Agree it’s the rule and the right call. As luckiestman correctly notes, I’m making a principle-based and not rules-based argument.

And just as an aside, the Steelers losing is the single best thing in football.

Ah, OK. Thanks

 

[Captaincoop]

Basically, the entire season was on the line, and Gronk tore the Steelers' heart out and spiked it, still beating, into the turf in front of their home crowd.

He gets the game ball for that.

 

[Sportsbstn]

Gronk. We was far and away the best player on the field. Unstoppable

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Looked like he caught the ball at the one yard line, had a knee down but hadn’t been touched so made a move and stretched his arm out to cross the goal line for a TD.

All correct, except you are confusing possession with a catch. He possessed it and moved it forward, but that's not enough for a catch. He was going to ground.

You don't like the rule. That's ok. Many don't. But you don't understand it either.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

I have nothing new to add other than Gronk. The catch to move the ball inside the 10 yard line on the final drive was incredible. The dude is 6'7".

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Agree it’s the rule and the right call. As luckiestman correctly notes, I’m making a principle-based and not rules-based argument.

Sorry, then ignore what I said.

 

[slamminsammya]

Gronkowski the laughing Touchdown Robot.

 

[alydar]

The most enjoyable thing in all of this, is another coach thinking they can catch NE by surprise with something like this.

Everyone -- including the Pats secondary, of course -- knew the spike was fake. However, when you have your QB doing that, what he's not doing is setting up your offense. Pitt was winning 1-on-1 matchups, they should have set it up and run a play, not some goofy fake that no one believes.

Gronk had an awesome 2 minutes, just everything you could want out of a great player. But Butler had a sneaky good game, including a huge tackle on 2nd down at the end to keep the clock running.

 

[zoolight.space]

Sorry, then ignore what I said.

Your last post was 100% correct. I do not understand the rule.

 

[alydar]

Jeezus, watching the replay on NBC of the fake spike play and no one else was running a route! It was 1 on 3!

 

[steveluck7]

Ob the Gronk show-string catch, if Brady buts the ball at waist level, Gronk probably walks into the end zone. Ends up as a blessing as it would have give PITT another 10 seconds or so.

 

[8slim]

I’d like to nominate the PIT OC for abandoning the sweep that was figuratively murdering us for 3 quarters.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

I have nothing new to add other than Gronk. The catch to move the ball inside the 10 yard line on the final drive was incredible. The dude is 6'7".

One of the best catches I’ve ever seen among catches where the receiver didn’t have to dive, leap, go one-handed, beat double-coverage, etc. What an animal.