By George Black,
CFL.ca
Question: In the Super Bowl, Instant Replay was used to look at a catch near the sideline that one official ruled complete and another ruled incomplete. What are CFL rules on catches near a sideline?
Answer: In the CFL a receiver needs only to get one foot down in the field of play to be ruled as having made a catch, so the play in question would have been a completed pass in our game.
As an aside, however, we would like officials who see a play differently NOT to make signals, other than time out to stop the clock. Then once the clock is stopped, we want them to conference and come up with a ruling they can take to the Referee for him to announce. Conflicting signals are not where we want to be.
Question: In Super Bowl XLI, Indianapolis challenged the fact that Chicago did not have the proper number of players on the field, thinking they had 12 rather than the eleven the NFL allows. Is that reviewable in CFL Replay rules?
Answer: No, the number of players is not reviewable in CFL Replay rules. There are some differences between CFL, NFL and NCAA Replay rules and this is one of them.
Question: Late in the Super Bowl game, a Chicago receiver appeared to catch a pass, was hit and fumbled, but the officials ruled the pass incomplete. Why?
Answer: I believe that the NFL and CFL are consistent in applying the rules on this type of ‘bang-bang’ pass catch.
In the CFL, we insist that the receiver retain possession of the ball if he is contacted by either a defensive player, or if he comes down and contacts the ground. This is to avoid creating a ‘cheap fumble’ where the contact comes very quickly after the arrival of the pass.
George Black has been the CFL’s Director of Officiating since 2004.
