Analysis of Corey Clements' Catch in Super Bowl LII: A Clear Touchdown

Recently, a controversial play during Super Bowl LII involved Corey Clements. The question is whether his catch at the back of the end zone should have been considered a touchdown. This article delves into the specific rules and video analysis to clarify the situation.

Video Analysis and Official Ruling

As I previously analyzed a similar scenario, the play in question is indeed a close call. According to the video, the ball is not fully secured in Clements' left arm during his first step. The ball is only clearly secured by the time his next step is taken, which is when he steps out of bounds. Initially, on video, the ruling might have been uncertain. However, the official ruling on the field was a touchdown. According to video analysis, this call was maintained, upholding the ruling on the field. The reason? There was no strong evidence to overturn it based on replay.

While it is possible to argue that the ruling should have been initially incomplete based on the video, the rule as written and the practice of letting plays stand as called unless there is clear evidence to the contrary, suggests that the touchdown was the correct call.

Rules Governing a Catch in the NFL

According to the NFL's rules, a catch is defined as:

A player who makes a catch may advance the ball. A forward pass is complete by the offense or intercepted by the defense if a player who is inbounds secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground. The player must touch the ground in bounds with both feet or any part of his body other than his hands. The player must maintain control of the ball after steps (a) and (b) have been fulfilled until he has the ball long enough to become a runner. A player has the ball long enough to become a runner when after his second foot is on the ground, he is capable of avoiding or warding off impending contact of an opponent, turning up field, or taking additional steps.

Key Points in the Play:

The initial possession is made with his left foot down. He secures the ball with his right foot down, indicating he is now an active runner and inside the end zone, leading to a touchdown. When his next step is out of bounds, based on him having possession and both feet in bounds before the step, it is a legal catch, therefore a touchdown.

The rule also emphasizes that a slight movement of the ball does not constitute a loss of possession. Clements did not have to maintain complete control of the ball upon impact; once he was inbounds and an active runner, the ball remaining in his possession would be considered a catch and, as a result, a touchdown.

Even though sometimes calls might not align with immediate viewers' perceptions, the rule followed in this instance is clear and consistent with the NFL's guidelines.

Conclusion

In conclusion, based on the rules defined by the NFL and the video analysis of the play, Corey Clements' catch in the back of the end zone during Super Bowl LII should indeed be considered a touchdown. The integrity and consistency of the rule application are crucial, and in this case, there was no clear violation of the rules requiring the call to be overturned.