Why Marvin Harrison Jr’s pylon catch vs. Seahawks was dominated incomplete

There was a little bit of confusion over whether or not or not Arizona Cardinals rookie large receiver Marvin Harrison Jr’s finish zone catch in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks ought to’ve been dominated a landing.

Harrison undoubtedly caught the ball with Josh Jobe in tight protection, however he solely acquired one foot down earlier than his different foot hit the pylon and landed out of bounds. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon challenged the ruling of incomplete go, which was finally upheld.

For no matter cause, the FOX broadcast curiously didn’t usher in guidelines analyst Mike Pereira to clarify the problem. Play-by-play announcer Adam Amin famous that Harrison had his proper foot hit inbounds twice, which isn’t the identical as “each ft down.” What in all probability wanted to be clarified was whether or not or not Harrison’s left foot hitting the pylon constituted as “inbounds.” There have been just a few feedback within the Area Gulls and Revenge of the Birds sport threads (plus social media) uncertain of the rule.

Properly if FOX wouldn’t make clear it, then I’ll.

Why Marvin Harrison Jr’s catch was dominated incomplete

The NFL rulebook states the next concerning a accomplished go or an interception:

A ahead go is full (by the offense) or intercepted (by the protection) within the subject of play, on the sideline, or in the long run zone if a participant, who’s inbounds:

(a) secures management of the ball in his arms or arms previous to the ball touching the bottom; and

(b) touches the bottom inbounds with each ft or with any a part of his physique apart from his arms; and

(c) after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, performs any act frequent to the sport (e.g., tuck the ball away, prolong it ahead, take a further step, flip upfield, or keep away from or keep off an opponent), or he maintains management of the ball lengthy sufficient to take action.

Daring emphasis is mine.

Hitting the pylon is just not the identical as hitting the bottom. That in itself is sufficient to state that Harrison was out of bounds.

Does touching the pylon represent out of bounds?

It doesn’t.

A participant or an official is out of bounds when he touches a boundary line, or when he touches something that’s on or exterior a boundary line, besides a participant, an official, or a pylon.

When is hitting the pylon with the soccer a landing?

In a scoring state of affairs, the soccer hitting the pylon is totally different from a participant hitting the pylon. Once more, from the NFL rulebook:

A ball in participant possession touches the pylon, offered that, after contact by an opponent, no a part of the participant’s physique, besides his arms or ft, struck the bottom earlier than the ball touched the pylon.

The Seahawks have been on the incorrect finish of this play earlier than

I’m certain you’ll despise me for utilizing this instance, however the Seahawks can relate to this case. In Tremendous Bowl XL, proper earlier than the top of the primary half, Matt Hasselbeck threw a deep go to Darrell Jackson alongside the sideline. Jackson had his left foot inbounds whereas the best one scuffed the pylon earlier than touching out of bounds. The go was dominated incomplete and there was by no means even a sales space overview.

So there you might have it. Hell of a catch by Harrison. Gotta get each ft or another non-hand physique half inbounds for it to depend as a landing, although.