Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: The MMA Hour Is Back

Gresham Touchdown Overturned: Bengals Still Reduce Deficit To Seven Following Mike Nugent 27-Yard Field Goal

CINCINNATI, OH - OCTOBER 02:  Mike Nugent #2 of the Cincinnati Bengals kicks the game winning field goal during the NFL game against the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on October 2, 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The Bengals won 23-20.(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

With over eight minutes remaining in the game, down by ten on third and six from the Bengals 23-yard line, Andy Dalton faces down a massive blitz in his face. He throws it over the middle where Lardarius Webb is called for a 24-yard pass interference on Jerome Simpson, pushing the offense to the Bengals 47-yard line. Dalton fires a missile on the following play to Jermaine Gresham, picking up 15 yards and setting up a first down at Baltimore's 27-yard line. Flushed out of the pocket on the ensuing play, Dalton slides after picking up 11 yards to the Ravens 27-yard line. An incomplete pass later and Dalton scrambles for another 10 yards, tip-toeing down the left sidelines, picking up the first down to the Ravens 17-yard line.

Star-divide

With just under seven minutes remaining in the game, Dalton hands off to Brian Leonard who picks up a limited two-yard gain. Jerome Simpson picked up another five yards, setting up a third and two from the Ravens nine-yard line. Dalton takes the snap and throws the football down the left sidelines, hitting tight end Jermaine Gresham in the chest. The football pops out and Gresham, with maximum concentration, finally gains possession of the football, keeps both feet in bounds, completing the nine-yard touchdown reception.

Officials reviewed the play and determined that Gresham didn't complete the act of receiving the football as the ball shifted from his fingers to his palm with the football trapped on the ground.

Mike Nugent converts the 27-yard field goal and the Bengals reduce the deficit to seven.

Comment 18 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Unfortunate outcome, but......

what a show! Competition at it’s best. I’m very proud of the Bengals, and this is a great one to put in their memory bank with respect to what components they’ve got and what they’re capable of as a team.

by fletchersmith on Nov 20, 2011 4:24 PM EST reply actions  

BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT

Overturn a TD and miss a clear horsecollar tackle. Just BULLSHIT!

"Shiny. Let's be bad guys."

by KentuckianaBrowncoat on Nov 20, 2011 4:25 PM EST reply actions  

THEY GOT SCREWED BIG TIME THAT F—-ING RULE JUST FLAT OUT SUCKS AND IS UNFAIR THEY NEED TO GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Robert H on Nov 20, 2011 4:38 PM EST up reply actions  

I think the rule is okay

it’s either just very poorly written or poorly adjucated.

At what point does it no longer count toward falling to the ground? 3 steps? 10 steps? He had 3 or 4 steps (one being out of bounds) before hitting the ground. The ball, like in the Calvin Johnson case, was used to balance or whatever on the ground. They said that in the CJ game, that shouldn’t have been a discounting factor.

by supergrover on Nov 20, 2011 8:22 PM EST up reply actions  

Can someone help me understand that ruling?

I have read the rule, and I even acknowledge it was the “correct” call, but why does the rule exist?

Though the refs made the correct call, Gresh caught the ball, got two feet in, made a football move in extending the ball across the plain and then, after when the play would have been dead anywhere else on the field, he loses the ball. What does the rule prevent? Why is it in place?

Also, the reality is Gresh showed more control than TSmith did on his touchdown, where Smith did not have control while his first foot, the right foot, was on the ground and he did not get control until it was off the ground.

If you asked the Ref, or any human, did Gresh catch the ball? It’d be a yes. Did he get both feet in? Yes. Did he make a football move? Yes. Did he cross the plain? Yes. Is it a touchdown? No. But why?

by kennythered on Nov 20, 2011 4:35 PM EST reply actions  

"why does the rule exist"

EVERYONE has asked that since it burnt Calvin Johnson last year.

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 20, 2011 4:47 PM EST up reply actions  

You lost me with

“he loses the ball”

"Pawtucket Patriot Beer. If you drink it, hot women will have sex in your backyard."

by Evil Monkey on Nov 20, 2011 6:09 PM EST up reply actions  

it wasn't the correct call

I agree that the Calvin Johnson rule is mighty stupid, but it doesn’t apply here. It is strictly for balls caught in the end zone. When you catch the ball and then cross the plane, it’s a TD as soon as you cross the plane. The only way control of the ball after hitting the ground matters AT ALL is if they’re claiming he didn’t have possession before he crossed the line. It looked to me like he had it solidly between his hands when it crossed the line, ergo TD. The rules about getting 2 feet in and making a football move don’t apply here.

by indesignkat on Nov 20, 2011 6:44 PM EST up reply actions  

Wow

Gresham took two steps, and yes the ball hit the ground but he had control. If that is an incompletion, you should not be able to reach the ball over the goalline if it hits the ground. Same thing.

by JDT1418 on Nov 20, 2011 4:39 PM EST reply actions  

Gresham

Should have caught the call cleanly to begin with and it would not have come down to the refs. That last drive should have been ebding in a game tieing FG.

"Next season will be better" circa 1990

by Yarin on Nov 20, 2011 4:50 PM EST reply actions  

ending*

"Next season will be better" circa 1990

by Yarin on Nov 20, 2011 4:50 PM EST up reply actions  

bengals get hosed by the refs

Every game.fuck the nfl and their refs.

by OBlock85 on Nov 20, 2011 6:15 PM EST via mobile reply actions  

No. That's whiney.

Every team has something that they would have liked done different every game, I’m sure.

The Gresham one burns me because the rule is so cotton picking confusing and counterintuitive. He made moves with the ball in control.

We had something similar last week with Simpson being tackled and then the ball stripped as he laid on the ground. (Similar in that it was a rule that doesn’t make sense)

by supergrover on Nov 20, 2011 8:26 PM EST up reply actions  

As I see it, the refs made the right call...

It’s unfortunate, but what killed the TD was Gresham’s bobble at the 2 yard line. Since he didn’t have control of the ball before he crossed the goal line, he was still a receiver in the end zone and the Johnson rule says you have to have control throughout the catch AND fall. If he had not bobbled the ball, he would have been considered a runner, not a receiver and he could have just crossed the plane and it would’ve been ruled a TD. It’s a b.s. rule, but a rule none the less and I believe the refs got it right.

by Who dey in LA on Nov 21, 2011 2:08 AM EST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Cincinnati Bengals.

Editor-In Chief

Cj_small Josh Kirkendall

Editor/Managing Editor

Rudiblanket_small Anthony Cosenza

5255_133614603784_666578784_2414703_1976100_n_small Jason Garrison

Authors

Photo_3_small BeerRun

010511170110_small Joe Goodberry

40297_422933299865_509514865_4658259_6466915_n_small Ryan Harper

Small Brennen Warner

Sb_nation_small Jack Cassidy

580551_10150822857707018_613867017_11694254_1239726425_n_small Nick_Crago

Img_0783_small Mike Fightmaster

Moderators

Nfl palewook

680764146_0eac16fabd_small 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME

Tawky_tawny_small UpStateMike

Joeb698_86e260_small joeb69

Bengals_stamp_by_jamaal10_small Doc Scratch