Calvin Johnson Robbed of Touchdown; Regardless of On-Field Ruling It Was a TD

Calvin Johnson made a sensational catch on what could have been the game-winning play for the Detroit Lions, but his effort wasn't rewarded even though at first the official had ruled touchdown, then after conferring with another official the call was overturned to incomplete pass.

Of course since the play happened with 24 seconds left and the Lions trailing by five, the play was reviewed since it was under two minutes left in the game. The replay booth looked long and hard at the play and the ruling on the field, which was incomplete, was upheld. 

Now normally it's an easy call in the end zone to see whether two feet got in before the receiver went out of bounds, or on running plays to make sure the ball has crossed the goal line. In this situation though the NFL rule is questionable at best. 

According to NFL rules the call was made correctly; it should have been an incomplete pass. Yet, after watching the play while it was being reviewed, there's no question that Johnson met the criteria for a catch regardless of the ruling on the field and by the replay booth. 

Basically what this call came down to was highway robbery, and boy did Johnson get robbed with the ruling. Unfortunately for the Lions, because of the incompletion it meant second down and backup QB Shaun Hill was not able to lead Detroit to an incredible victory after Matthew Stafford left the game with a shoulder injury. 

Back to the catch itself. What exactly is the rule in terms of making a catch in the end zone? For a running back it's a lot simpler. No matter what happens, if the player has possession and breaks the plane of the goal line, it's a touchdown even if a defender hits the ball out of the player's hand and causes a fumble just after he crosses the plane.

But here's the ruling according to referee Gene Steratore, "The ruling is that in order for the catch to be completed he has got to maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process of the catch.”

So what exactly is the definition of a catch? Two feet in bounds and control of the ball for a player near the sideline and what about when not falling out of bounds? Well according to this rule a player catches the ball and if this player falls to the ground and the ground forces the ball out it's an incomplete pass, because the player didn't maintain possession throughout the entire process. 

Yet, what happened to Johnson on the play? He thought he had scored a touchdown and therefore began to celebrate until the officials ruled the pass incomplete. According to Johnson, “I figure if I got two feet and a knee down, to me that is a catch that’s why I got up and took off."

Here's what happened: Hill made an incredible throw to Johnson, who made a leaping catch over Bears DB Zachary Bowman. As he was going down to the ground, he had both feet in the end zone and wasn't close to being out of bounds. He landed on his backside, which should have meant he was down.

So where was the ball? Firmly held onto by his right hand. The ball only came out once he was on the ground, and then the ball came out of his hand and rolled out of the end zone. 

In this case Johnson had clear possession of the ball. He was down by contact because of Bowman, and the ball only came out after he was down, and by the NFL rules the ground cannot cause a fumble. Therefore the play should have been overruled to the call that it was originally a touchdown. 

Not only did that awful call cost the Lions a victory, but it took away an impressive goal line stand the Lions had made. The Bears had the ball at the one-yard line, and were not able to get in with Matt Forte or on the one throw that was called. 

Four bad things happened to the Lions in the game: Stafford went out with an injury, the goal line stand was all for naught, Johnson was robbed of a touchdown, and the call also cost the Lions the game. Not a good first week for the Lions.