Greg Olsen’s fumble highlights the confusion of the NFL’s catch rule
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
The Panthers have been playing incredibly sloppy football against the Saints, turning the ball over three times in just over a half. Despite this sloppiness their last turnover was questioned by fans, once again forcing them to ask “What the heck is a catch?”
In order for this to be a catch Greg Olsen needed to establish himself as a runner. In this clip he catches the ball, takes one hop, then a single step and the ball is dislodged. It was ruled as a catch and fumble by officials and the Panthers elected not to challenge the call.
The ethereal nature of the NFL’s catch rule is that parts of the rule are applied differently. At times officials justify the rule by the number of steps a receiver takes, at other times (like this one) it’s about whether the receiver is capable of avoiding contact -- which is what Olsen does as he tries to make a move upfield.
By the letter of the law this was the correct call, but it compares favorably to other catches that have been ruled dead. It’s a complicated mess that isn’t getting any simpler.
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SB Nation presents: The NFL needs to tell us what a catch is
