The Atlanta Falcons might be an unstoppable force, rendering any hot take about a single play moot and ponderous. And yet, we feel compelled to bring up one sequence that had a huge impact on the first half of Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
Didn't it look like Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins picked up the loose football and rolled himself into the end zone? And if so, shouldn't that be a safety or Atlanta ball at its own 1-yard line? Packers coach Mike McCarthy appeared to wonder the same thing moments later, but when FOX came back from break the Falcons had the ball on their own 20.
No doubt called to action by thousands of tweets being sent his way, NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino soon chimed in.
Gained possession with left leg touching the goal line so it is a touchback. Momentum and ball at 1-yd line if body part not in EZ.
— Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) January 22, 2017
It took almost an hour, but someone associated with the FOX broadcast finally brought it up.
On that fumble play, replay felt that the recovering player did not have total control of the ball until the ball had broken the plane.
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) January 22, 2017
Which, OK, though one could make a case Collins possessed the ball before his leg came in contact with the goal line and purposely rolled himself into the endzone to avoid wretched field position. I'm just sayin'!
This game is ovah, but this was still a safety. pic.twitter.com/HcNWJ5qg2M
— Dan Hanzus (@DanHanzus) January 22, 2017
This is not something anyone outside Green Bay will lose sleep over, seeing as the Falcons went to half up 24-0. But 10-2 with a free kick coming your way is a lot different than 17-0.