They are damn lucky this didn't happen in Philly or Cleveland. It would have been another absolute mess. Can't say I would even blame the fans either because the refs failed miserably. Video: Controversial goal-line replay review aids in Steelers win - Shutdown Corner - NFL* - Yahoo! Sports I didn't see this until SC. It is clear in the replay that he fumbled, the refs agreed with it, but didn't correctly rule the play. They didn't figure out who had the fumble, so the Steelers got the ball back. They didn't get a TD, but kicked a FG the next play to win. Looked to me like #59 on Miami got the ball. #59 came out of the pile with it. And just now on SC, the head ref and the ref that called the TD live in Pittsburgh. Not good for the NFL if you have to question their integrity. Edit: This is actually the opposite of the Cleveland incident, since that problem was that they spiked it after a play, then went back to review. They did not correctly follow the rulebook then. They did rule it correctly. They did correctly follow the rulebook for the Steelers game, but they did not correctly let the play "play out" or rule the TD correctly. Today: correct rulebook, incorrect ruling Cleveland: incorrect rulebook, correct ruling
Thanks for posting this. It is a travesty because as you stated, a Miami player came out of the pile with the ball. Horrible call...
The issue here is the fact that initially a TD was called, which means there was no fumble on the play. When a review overturns a non-fumble into a fumble, the team who recovers the ball has to be without question. So far instance, if the ball had just been picked up cleanly by the Miami Dolphin player immediately and no scrum ensued, the replay official would have had no choice but to award it to Miami. But because of the scrum, the replay official could not say without a doubt who had the ball initially in that scrum. They know who had it last (Miami), but that doesn't necessarily equate to who had it first. The officials were not trying to decide possession in that scrum since the play was ruled a touchdown. It's an unfortunate turn of events for Miami, but it was the correct replay call.
Balls change hands all the time in a scrum. It's the one with the ball when the refs get to the bottom of the pile that dictates whose ball it is. If replays show Miami with the ball at the end of the unpiling, then it's Miami's ball. I didn't see the replay so I can't really comment on if it was decisive or not.
Yes, that is how they determine who has the ball coming out of a scrum IF a fumble is called on a play. But in the case of no fumble being called, you cannot say with complete certainty who rightfully should have the ball if the refs are not trying to determinie that very same fact because they think it's a touchdown and the scrum is fruitless (in their minds). You're no longer working under the exact same conditions and therefore cannot apply those very same principles and constructs. The only way the Dolphins would have been awarded the ball based on review would have been if someone had pretty much cleanly picked up the fumble immediately. That didn't happen.
