SEA@AZ: Pylon fly-by 1

Here’s a touchdown ruling that even defenders of the break-the-plane rationale might find hard to fathom. Seattle WR Tyler Lockett is pushed out of bounds at the goal line, sliding outside the pylon as he skids past. How is this a touchdown?

We can only imagine that officials somehow convinced themselves that Lockett momentarily flashed the ball above  the pylon or, because Lockett’s left foot clipped the pylon as he slid past, this is a touchdown. Just overlook the fact that Lockett was already more than a yard out of bounds when his foot hit the pylon. A true puzzler. Hocus Bogus rating: 5

SF@LAR: Pylon fly-by 2

Announcer Joe Buck’s call accurately conveys the absence of certainty at the conclusion of this 16-yard run by San Francisco’s Deebo Samel: “Deebo issss . . . (pause) . . . (refs confer) . . . (pause) . . . (waiting) . . . IN for the touchdown.”

But IN what? The pylon’s airspace? Supposedly. But what about Samuel’s right foot on the sideline? Doesn’t seem to matter. Catch just a tiny wisp of the end zone’s airspace with the ball and the play is over. Commentator Troy Aikman explains: “Samuel is able to get to the pylon.” These days pylon = end zone, even though pylons are positioned outside the field of play. Strange but true. Rating: 5

TEN@HOU: Corner stepover

Momentum prevents Tennessee’s Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from getting either foot in the end zone, and because the break-the-plane rule absolves him of that obligation, he can just step over the end zone without concern over where his feet land and still collect six points.

This ruling certainly simplifies a ball carrier’s task, but to a discerning fan’s eye, is watching a receiver bypass the end zone en route to a touchdown a satisfying thing to watch? Not to us. Rating: 4

NO@ATL: Pylon bash for 6

If after years and years of watching airspace touchdowns and being conditioned to accept them as legitimate, then you probably think this is a normal, fairly typical TD catch.

It’s not. Note that on a pass from Taysom Hill, Adam Trautman approaches a pylon that is positioned out of bounds, as all pylons are. He is 1) tackled by OLB Deion Jones (45), putting Trautman’s knee on the ground in front of the GL, and 2) knocked out of bounds by strong safety Shawn Williams (36) so the ball lands OOB.

Trautman never touches the scoring area, yet gets six points. And defenders go unrewarded for their efforts. That just doesn’t seem right. Rating: 4.5