Here are the facts on the decisive play in the Dallas playoff loss in Green Bay Sunday:
CONTROVERSIAL PLAY
The Cowboys’ Dez Bryant appeared to make a spectacular 31-yard catch on fourth down to give Dallas the ball a yard away from the go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes of Sunday’s 26-21 divisional round playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. Replays showed that Bryant bobbled the ball as he rolled into the end zone, with part of it touching the field. After reviewing the play, officials overturned the call, saying Bryant didn’t maintain control all the way to the ground.
The rule states:
“If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.”
Bryant said there was never a doubt in his mind that he caught the ball.
“I had possession of the ball coming down. That’s possession, right? One, two, reach,” Bryant said. “Bam, that’s possession.”
