This past Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys took on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the NFC Divisional Round. After falling to the Packers 26-21, the Cowboys’ dream of making it to the Super Bowl died, and now the coaches and players must focus on the off-season.
The game was an intense one.
During the fourth quarter, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo threw the football to Dez Bryant for a huge fourth-down conversion. After the play, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy challenged the call. To the shock of many Cowboys fans, the call was ruled an incompletion and overturned, giving the Packers the ball.
Bryant’s face as the referee made the announcement was one many won’t forget – pure shock.
When looking back on the play over and over again, it’s clear the referee made the right decision, no matter how crucial that call was.
NFL head of officials Dean Blandino tweeted that afternoon, “Bryant going to the ground. By rule he must hold onto it throughout entire process of contacting the ground. He didn’t so it is incomplete.”
When told he hadn’t maintained possession of the ball throughout, Bryant argued he was making a football move. He, like Blandino, also resorted to Twitter to express his feelings.
“As I went to the ground I rolled over and I tipped the ball to gain better control.. We lost and I accept it but please change that rule,” he tweeted Sunday night.
This isn’t the first time this type of call has gained much attention.
Back in 2010, the same type of reversal call was made. With a potential game-winning touchdown, the completing the process rule was called against Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions. This call was also made by the same referee as Sunday, Gene Steratore.
A rule is a rule. The referee made the correct call and the outcome of the game was not determined by it. With there being 60 minutes in a game, there are an abundance of opportunities to make big plays.
But the catch is that players need to be sure to complete the plays the correct way or else they will be called out on it.
