ATL@WAS: Lowering the boom, OOB

Here’s a really good, physical  effort by Washington rookie RB Brian Robinson, Jr., who batters he way toward the end zone.

Replays show he just barely misses making first contact inside the end zone but still gets six points for, we presume, passing through the right pylon’s airspace. Ball, elbow and legs all first hit the sideline — out of bounds.

We loudly applaud Robinson’s effort, a hard-nosed run after catch, but not the ruling. Once again we think our rule makes more sense here. Give Falcons’ LB Mykal Walker (3) some credit for making a good hit and keeping Robinson out of the scoring area. Then give Washington the ball first-and-goal inside the 1. Hocus Bogus rating: 3

DAL@TB: Put early celebrations on hold

Detroit’s D’Andre Smith had such an easy time getting in for a two-point conversion that to celebrate he hopped across the goal line and flipped the ball skyward — but before his feet contacted the end zone. 

This is an innocent action that complies with the existing break-the-plane rule. But if our rule was in place, this would be considered a fumble. We assume if our rule was indeed in place, Smith and others (such as Saquon Barkley, who during Week 13 performed the same potential flinging faux pas after a touchdown run; see below) would know they need to keep a grip on the ball until they make contact with the end zone. Or so we think. Rating: 1

Video: Fox Sports

Puzzler: Break-the-plane interpretation

We steadfastly believe in making runners and receivers earn their touchdowns by making first contact inside the end zone or on the goal line. Yet even we are a little surprised by how officials ruled this play involving Patriots’ TE Hunter Henry an incompletion. 

Midway through the third quarter of a tie game, Henry made a terrific high-point catch of a Mac Jones pass, extended the ball into the end zone’s airspace, then landed on the goal line, seemingly with control of the ball. Officials, though, ruled the ball momentarily skidded on the ground. (See above.) No catch, no TD. New England settled for a field goal and eventually lost 33-26.

But didn’t Henry first break the plane? Doesn’t the existing rule apply?

Based on what we’ve seen in other plays where the break-the-plane rule is invoked, once the Great Invisible Plane gets gouged, it’s a score — end of play. (See the wacky Patrick Mahomes ruling of Week 13; replay below.) But apparently not in this case because the play involves a reception, not a rush.

The ruling stirred up a lot of media chatter. Henry thought he made the catch. NFL Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson told ESPN officials believed Henry did not maintain total control of the ball when he crash-landed on the goal line (see above). That’s a tough call, one ultimately decided by the eye of the beholder.

Beyond this particular outcome, here is the broader lesson we are taught about the curious break-the-plane rule :

1.  A receiver can only get credit for breaking the plane, even if he lands on the goal line or in the end zone, if he maintains unwavering, indisputable control of the ball until he is ruled down.

2. Yet a runner (such as Mahomes in Week 13; see below) can

   a) go airborne,

   b) clip the goal line’s airspace with a small fraction of the football’s diameter,

   c) then, a split-second later, let the ball slip out of his hand and

   d, for dumb) be awarded six points.

How does that make sense? We are mystified.