TB@WAS: ‘Is he in? Is he in?’

The honest answer to announcer Mike Tirico’s repeated question is “No. Not even close.” In a Wild Card round game, Washington QB Taylor Heinicke never touches the end zone, and he doesn’t even catch that much of the pylon as he flies past it on his way to landing way out of bounds.

But because he was able to use the ball to clip the outer edge of the pylon (which is located out of bounds), he gets six points. Hocus Bogus rating: 5

BAL@TEN: ‘Will they give it to him?’

“They will!” ESPN says, answering his own question during this Wild Card round matchup. If anyone asked us, we would give Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson first-and-goal on the 1, but not a touchdown. Why not? Because he never made contact with the end zone, the designated scoring area. He ran wide of it, and simply waved the ball in the end zone’s airspace. Not good enough in our book.

This play got added to highlight reels used to promote upcoming games. Looks exciting. We agree it would be if actually reached the end zone, not just some small portion of its airspace. Hocus Bogus rating: 4.5

TB@GB: Backing in

In the NFC Championship game, Tampa Bay RB Leonard Fournette makes some terrific moves on this 20-yard jaunt. It concludes when his is undercut by Green Bay CB Kevin King, causing him to slide backward, almost Fosbury Flop style, across King’s back and out of bounds — without ever touching the end zone. 

Officials give him a standard break-the-plane pass, but a lot of defensive effort to keep him out of the end zone goes for naught. Hocus Bogus rating: 3