Forward Lateral

You can look the video up on NFL.com I'm sure.

I'm pretty sure one of the passes before that point was borderline forward, too.

even if brown had not stepped out of bounds, since there was no flag, is that still a play that can be reviewed and then get called later on or is it a non reviewable play ?

Having re-watched the play again this morning, that was what I thought. Looked like the last lateral from Roethlisberger to Brown was a forward pass. That said, the angle made it difficult to say for sure.

So glad Brown stepped on the sideline. :sweatdrop:

If it would have went to review it would not have been overturned.

We were one inch from an epic collapse.

"rtl1334 wrote:

If it would have went to review it would not have been overturned.

We were one inch from an epic collapse.

Agreed, in stark contrast to some of the other posters who ASSume that the play would have been overturned upon review. It might have, but the benefit of the doubt woudl go to the Steelers if no flag was thrown.

At least I see some logic here as opposed to some other posts I've seen that remind me of "Hey, we're 3-0 the OL must be fine because we're winning." Just because we won the game that doesn't mean that we were ridiculously close to national humiliation on that play, not to mention the playoff implications involved.

"rtl1334 wrote:

If it would have went to review it would not have been overturned.

We were one inch from an epic collapse.

Come on, that is an epicly ridiculous opinion. It was very clearly a forward lateral and its a reviewable play. Ig they don't overturn it, it shows a blatany agenda.

There is no benefit of the doubt, it becomes a dead ball at that spot. It wasny even close to being a legal lateral.

Just reading this thread makes my bowels churn again. good grief, thank goodness.

"Alex44 wrote:

Come on, that is an epicly ridiculous opinion. It was very clearly a forward lateral and its a reviewable play. Ig they don't overturn it, it shows a blatany agenda.

I stop motioned the play several times yesterday and, although I think it was a forward lateral, it was not unequivocal. Besides they didn't have a sideline angle like they did for the Music City Miracle.

There would not have been enough evidence to overturn and the benefit goes to the Steelers. So no it is not an "epicly ridiculous opinion."

"Alex44 wrote:

Come on, that is an epicly ridiculous opinion. It was very clearly a forward lateral and its a reviewable play. Ig they don't overturn it, it shows a blatany agenda.

There is no benefit of the doubt, it becomes a dead ball at that spot. It wasny even close to being a legal lateral.

Notice how far back Ben's feet are as compared to his outstretched right arm- I'm not sure as per the forward lateral rule if it's the feet or the actual ball in hand position that's spotted- if it's the feet it's actually closer than you'd think to not being a forward lateral.

That being said, given that the game is in Pittsburgh would you really be comfortable with that play going upstairs for a ruling, when it would have to be beyond a shadow of a doubt that the officials on the field were incorrect in not calling that a forward lateral? I wouldn't.

"Alex44 wrote:

Come on, that is an epicly ridiculous opinion. It was very clearly a forward lateral and its a reviewable play. Ig they don't overturn it, it shows a blatany agenda.

There is no benefit of the doubt, it becomes a dead ball at that spot. It wasny even close to being a legal lateral.

I think what he's saying is that it can't be overturned for a flag that wasn't called.

It's like an offensive player pushing a defensive player in the endzone for a game winning TD. While it may be blatant, if the flag isn't called, it isn't called.

You can't go back and say something should be a penalty, if it wasn't initially called.

It was so close to being another blunder by the refs in a Steelers/Dolphins game. If anything, the refs should be more happy than anyone.

"rdhstlr23 wrote:

I think what he's saying is that it can't be overturned for a flag that wasn't called.

It's like an offensive player pushing a defensive player in the endzone for a game winning TD. While it may be blatant, if the flag isn't called, it isn't called.

You can't go back and say something should be a penalty, if it wasn't initially called.

It was so close to being another blunder by the refs in a Steelers/Dolphins game. If anything, the refs should be more happy than anyone.

This isn't a normal penalty. It is reviewable and can be overturned.

Proof: Music City Miracle

No flag was thrown but it was reviewed and determined to be a lateral.

The ref was looking straight at the Pittsburgh guy 's feet.

"rdhstlr23 wrote:

I think what he's saying is that it can't be overturned for a flag that wasn't called.

It's like an offensive player pushing a defensive player in the endzone for a game winning TD. While it may be blatant, if the flag isn't called, it isn't called.

You can't go back and say something should be a penalty, if it wasn't initially called.

It was so close to being another blunder by the refs in a Steelers/Dolphins game. If anything, the refs should be more happy than anyone.

There ere no flags thrown during the Music City Miracle. The play is reviewable.

If there wasn't enough evidence to call Music City Miracle a forward lateral then there wouldn't have been enough evidence to call this one a forward lateral. If Brown doesn't step out, Miami loses, IMHO.

Yes, it would've been a reviewable play, simply from the standpoint that it (assuming Brown doesn't step on the sideline) would've been a TD. But, the question is...would it have been over-turned? From the angle I saw, I'm really not sure. I think it could've gone either way.

The ball traveled almost two yards ahead, or so it seemed when I watched the replay just now. Just because he threw it underhanded doesn't make it a legit lateral. LOL

is it where the ball leaves the hand or where Ben's foot was? because clearly the hand was much further forward than the foot.

"Paul 13 wrote:

is it where the ball leaves the hand or where Ben's foot was? because clearly the hand was much further forward than the foot.

It's from where the ball leaves his hand. I stop-motioned the video, he releases it at about the 42.5 yard line, and Brown catches it at the 43...it was a hell of a lot closer than we think, but still forward enough to where it would've come back upon review had Brown stayed in-bounds, IMO.

I thought it was a forward lateral the whole time and still think so. But watching it I think it would have been hard to overturn.

What a great call for the ref to see him step out of bounds.
Honestly, sometimes I don't know how they see it.
And other times I don't know how they are so blind. But Kudos to for this one.

"Paul 13 wrote:

is it where the ball leaves the hand or where Ben's foot was? because clearly the hand was much further forward than the foot.

I would think it's the hand because it's not a question of the line of scrimmage but simply a forward pass.

Yeah, kudos to the ref catching Brown step out. Somehow two refs missed Hartline's catch. It's nice to not be screwed by the zebra's.

Don't worry next week when the Patriots come to town the Phins can be screwed by the refs then.

I actually credit the refs for not throwing a flag during this play knowing that it was a) the last play of the game and b) the Steelers had to score. If they were to rule that the Roethlisberger toss was a forward lateral it would have killed the play, effectively ending the game. Instead, the refs recognized the two aforementioned aspects of said play and let it play out, knowing that it had to be a score and that scores get automatically reviewed, they could make a decision afterwards.

Glad Antonio Brown stepped out though.

1. All scoring plays are automatically reviewed, so it would of been reviewed.
2. It is a part of the play that can be challenged on the field
3. Not sure about the rules but I would think a lateral is determined not by body parts but by the balls location. I would think that the evidence should be very black n white. You take the balls starting position at its release and draw a straight line across the field. If the ball goes in front of that line its a forward lateral, end of story.
4. I need to watch it in better detail because it was very close but it looked like he caught the ball about a 1/2 yrd forward of where on the field the ball started out of Bens hand. It was very close and I am not wholly confident that it was a forward lateral.
5. Thing about it going to review it might of been one of those times where you need a firey HC to push the issue and make sure the refs give that aspect of the play close scrutiny and Im not confident Philbin is the type of guy to do that.