Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants are entering the bye week, which means they have even more time to think about what is and isn’t a catch.
It’s been a topic of discussion all week for Coughlin and Big Blue after wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. dropped a would-be touchdown pass in last week’s loss to the New England Patriots. The controversial play was held up by review and ruled an incomplete pass after Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler broke up the would-be go-ahead touchdown.
Coughlin, like many in the NFL community, continues to be miffed by the NFL’s rules for what constitutes a catch.
“We’ve made this a very difficult call,” Coughlin told WFAN on Wednesday, per NJ.com. “And the thing that bothers me about it is, first, the word ‘runner.’ There is no runner in the end zone. When a guy catches the ball in the end zone, that’s it. He’s not going to take another step, Mike. He’s on the sideline.”
Coughlin’s argument is that since Beckham appeared to catch the ball and come down with both feet in the end zone, it should be a touchdown.
“It’s not a simultaneous hit. He caught the ball,” Coughlin said. “Now, do I want him to have the ball in tight? You bet. And is that a tough lesson for Odell to learn? Yes, it is.”
The NFL’s rule states that not only does the receiver have to get two feet down, he also has to establish himself as a runner, which is where Coughlin’s confusion (annoyance) comes in to play.
Beckham after the game took responsibility for the play, saying he should have caught the pass regardless.
Thumbnail photo via Jim O’Connor/USA TODAY Sports Images
