The Cincinnati Bengals appeared to have another touchdown connection between Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase right before halftime of the team’s divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
But the officials reviewed the apparent touchdown and overturned it, saying Chase didn’t have possession as he went out of bounds.
The play — a stunning throw from Burrow — was initially called a touchdown on the field, so it came as a bit of a shock that officials overturned it. Especially so, when Chase caught the ball, landed with two feet, then it wriggled loose as he fell out of bounds.
NFL Twitter — and not just Bengals fans — weren’t happy to see the product again swayed by excessive timeouts and overturns as it once again tries to figure out what exactly constitutes a catch.
Bengals against the officials, Bills, NFL
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) January 22, 2023
4️⃣ STEPS IN BOUNDS. WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED??
— Jack 💥 (@Cincinneumeyer) January 22, 2023
And there it is, the fix is in folks. NFL needs that Bills vs Chiefs neutral site game🤦♂️
— Wheels (@Wheels02) January 22, 2023
No way they just did that. Wtf 😳
— ZIM (@zimwhodey) January 22, 2023
The @NFL doesn’t want us in the AFC championship. That was a TD. Clear as Day
— A Boogie (@Double_A_WhoDey) January 22, 2023
When did the NFL do away with the need for conclusive evidence to overturn reviews? I'd say that by the rule that's probably not a catch by Chase but without making assumptions I don't know that review showed it 100% wasn't a catch.
— Steve Gallo (@SteveGalloNFL) January 22, 2023
If it takes this long to review you keep the ruling on the field as called.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) January 22, 2023
Four steps inbounds and still not a catch. Just incredible
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) January 22, 2023
New York called. Need that neutral field money next week.
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) January 22, 2023
If you stand up with the football in hand, and it never hits the ground, it’s a catch.
Make it make sense.
— Matt Broo (@MBrooESQ) January 22, 2023
I mean. That's a catch. The NFL can tell me that's not a catch, but that's a catch.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 22, 2023
Officiating truly has no shame. There is no way that’s indisputable. What a shame. Refs always find a way to steal the show.
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) January 22, 2023
I've seen that play hundreds of times, and it's called a catch every single time. Get your feet inbounds, complete the catch as you land out of bounds. What is going on here?
— Dadio Makdook (@dadiodefacto) January 22, 2023
Rigged.
— Patrick Carey (@PatCareySports) January 22, 2023
Carl Cheffers putting his thumbprint on this one. Took a little while, but there it is
— Anthony Cosenza (@CJAnthonyCUI) January 22, 2023
The ball is always in Chase's control while his feet are in bounds. It moving after the fact is moot.
That's a horrible ruling in any interpretation of the rule. Absolute highway robbery.
I don't care what Gene Steratore said, he's wrong. That's absolute trash.
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) January 22, 2023
travesty
— Kevin Madden (@KevinMaddenDC) January 22, 2023
Every ounce of common sense says that's a touchdown. Ridiculous.
— Bennett Hipp (@BennettHipp) January 22, 2023
You call a TD on the field, you don’t overturn it.
— Nick Crago (@FearDaTiger009) January 22, 2023
Ball moves after Chase is already out of bounds. Seemed like he had control of it in bounds. Great throw from Burrow and effort by Chase either way
— Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) January 22, 2023
The game is not made better by examining that perfect throw and excellent catch over and over again, looking for reasons to say it wasn’t a catch.
— Neal Coolong (@NealCoolong) January 22, 2023
That Ja'Marr Chase "No-TD" call was absolute trash.
— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) January 22, 2023
No amount of the booth explaining that that's not a catch will convince me. It was 100% secured while feet were in bounds twice. I don't think it's incomplete by any interpretation of the rule.
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) January 22, 2023
Roger Goodell explaining what a catch is pic.twitter.com/Nv9HrOLq55
— Tyler Reed (@tylerreed93) January 22, 2023
NFL stated about 4 years ago that it did not want catches officiated like this. Then forgot. https://t.co/T3TT0RUzx5
— Mike Tanier (@MikeTanier) January 22, 2023
Jamar Chase had complete control of that ball when his feet were in bounds. Only as he left the end zone was the ball jarred slightly loose. But he never dropped it. Sorry, that's a touchdown.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 22, 2023
