Devonta Freeman's reversed TD latest victim of confusing catch rule

In case there was any confusion: Just because a player crosses the goal line with the football, it does not automatically make it a touchdown.

By Ryan Wilson

Oct 11, 2015 at 4:15 pm ET • 1 min read

In case there was any confusion: Just because a player crosses the goal line with the football, it does not automatically make it a touchdown if he hasn't completed the process of a catch. Of course, what constitutes a catch is up for debate since no one -- including the league -- seems to know what one looks like. But it seems pretty clear to us that this play late in the Redskins-Falcons game was, in fact, an incompletion.

Not everyone agrees:

#Falcons - so apparently THIS is NOT a touchdown. #WASvsATL pic.twitter.com/cGHazYxC6o
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) October 11, 2015

Not shown: Devonta Freeman lost the ball as he hit the turf. And that supersedes the fact that he had already crossed the goal line.

If this looks familiar it should; two weeks ago, officials ruled that Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert didn't score against the Ravens because he didn't complete a catch. Of course, Mike Pereira, the former VP of NFL officials admitted that the catch rule is the most confusing part of game, an observation that's tough to refute.

No worry, though, if you're the Falcons and Freeman: He scored just two plays later:

What happens when Devonta Freeman has a TD taken away? He runs through 5 defenders for another one. Oh my. #WASvsATL http://t.co/kYNnfUp6p3
— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2015

Your move, officials: