Eau Claire (WAOW) - After a controversial call during Monday night's game
between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, the National Football League
has announced the ruling made on the field will be upheld.
Here is the NFL's official statement:
In Monday's game between the Green
Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay
24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end
zone. Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay
safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.
While the ball is in the air, Tate can
be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to
the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference,
which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in
instant replay.
When the players
hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and
Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the
ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a
touchdown.
Replay Official Howard
Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play
that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession
of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable.
That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.
Referee Wayne Elliott determined that
no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and
as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating
Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn
the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.
The result of the game is
final.
