Here’s the catch: NFL refs thought they were right all along

PLANO, TEXAS » Walt Coleman doesn’t see the revamped catch rule as a big change for NFL game officials because the veteran referee believes they’ve already been calling catches the new way.

If anything, Coleman figures there will be fewer reviews of their rulings.

“Most of the calls that seemed to create the most controversy, we ruled them correctly and then they were overturned on replay,” Coleman said Friday as officials gathered for their annual preseason meeting in the Dallas area. “From our standpoint, we’re just going to continue to officiate the plays like we have.”

League owners unanimously approved the changes in April — more than three years after Dez Bryant’s infamous catch that wasn’t in Dallas’ playoff loss at Green Bay, and just a few months since Pittsburgh’s Jesse James had a late go-ahead touchdown taken away in a loss to New England that damaged the Steelers’ hopes for the AFC’s top seed.

Essentially, the new rule eliminates the ground as a factor on catches while establishing three main criteria: —having control of the ball; —getting two feet down or another body part;

—making a football move, such as taking a third step or extending the ball.

On the plays involving Bryant and James, the ball moved slightly after hitting the ground as they extended it forward, even though they never lost control of it. Both were ruled catches and overturned on review.

“I don’t think it was one thing,” senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron said. “I think we got to a point where fans, the office, coaches, players, wanted to see more exciting plays. How do we make this particular play a catch? How do we take the Dez Bryant play and make it a catch?”

Riveron said the competition committee consulted with coaches, former players, game officials and supervisors, among others, to reach the rule change that was approved.

The committee cited overturned receptions by James and fellow tight end Zach Miller of Chicago last season among the

dozens of plays they reviewed “dozens of times,” according to committee chairman Rick McKay, president of the Atlanta Falcons.

Ron Torbert, going into his fifth season as a referee and ninth overall as a game official, doesn’t think the new rule is just about simplicity.

“We had a good idea of what it was and how to officiate it,” Torbert said. “We certainly understand that the way it was written, plays that people wanted to be a catch weren’t a catch under the older rule. We understand that.”

And while game officials are hesitant to share opinions on anything related to their role, they can see where fans sit with the catch rule.