Did Bengals get screwed on Ja’Marr Chase overturned touchdown?

On what looked to be a sure touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase, replay review took a touchdown off the board for the Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round. 

What exactly is a catch? If you polled officiating crews in the NFL, odds are you’d get a few different answers.

As instant replay has become more of a tool for officials across the league, it’s also made the rules complicated.

In the first half of the AFC Divisional Round, Joe Burrow made a beautiful pass to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the back of the end zone. The play was called a touchdown on the field, but after replay review, was overturned.

Did Bengals get screwed on Ja’Marr Chase touchdown review?

As close as Ja’Marr Chase was to making such a catch, it did appear Matt Milano got his hand in at the last minute to pry it loose. However, whether it was a catch likely depends on who you’re rooting for. As someone with very little rooting interest, I’ll leave it up to the cool rule.

That checks out.

Burrow’s pass was between two Bills defenders, and Chase made one hell of a catch attempt to secure the football. Very rarely is such a picture-esque play made in this climate, with snow blurring the vision of both the quarterback and the wide receiver.

What is a catch in the NFL?

The NFL rulebook defines a catch as:

"A player who makes a catch may advance the ball. A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) in the field of play, at the sideline, or in the end zone if a player, who is inbounds:a. secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; andb. touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; andc. after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, performs any act common to the game (e.g., tuck the ball away, extend it forward, take an additional step, turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent), or he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so."

Nonetheless, it’s not a simple process, especially with replay review involved.