MIN@CAR: A wave-over for the win

On this game-winning Kirk Cousins-to-K.J Osborn pass play in overtime, Osborn just barely nicks a corner of the end zone’s airspace as he flies out of bounds, knocking down the pylon in the process. According to the existing rule, it’s a legit touchdown. To us, it seems a shame to have a game end on a play that is ruled a touchdown where the end zone is not contacted.

During the replay, Fox analyst Jonathan Vilma says that a pylon “is part of the end zone.” True enough, the 2022 NFL Rulebook states that in Rule 3 (Definitions), Section 12 (The Field), Article 3 (End Zone): “The End Zone is the rectangle formed by the Goal Line, the End Line, and the Sidelines. The Goal Line and the pylons are in the End Zone.”

Yet that strikes us as strange, since pylons, as our Puzzle of the Pylon article points out, are positioned out of bounds (see the screenshot below). That also seems to contradict the first mention of pylons in the rulebook, under Field Markings: “The four intersections of goal lines and sidelines must be marked at inside corners of the end zone and the goal line by pylons. Pylons must be placed at inside edges of white lines and should not touch the surface of the actual playing field itself.”

So if they are not supposed to touch the “actual playing field,” how is it that they become part of the playing field — i.e., the end zone? Head-scratcher. Hocus Bogus rating: 4.5

MIAvJAX: Tyrannosaurus Rex TD

In an international game played in London, Miami’s Jaylen Waddle gets credit for a touchdown reception even though he never reached the end zone. He just short-armed the ball into the end zone’s airspace for a millisecond, then pulled it back before Jacksonville CB Nevi Lawson (21) or DB Michael Jacquet (34), who had Waddle wrapped up, could knock it loose.

No matter. As we’ve seen in other break-the-plane calls, once end zone airspace has been poked, regardless of how briefly, the play is over and six points go up on the scoreboard. That’s quite a deal for crafty offensive players who can work the rule to their advantage. Why bother fighting to reach the end zone when all you have to do is nick its airspace? Rating: 4.5

LAR@NYG: Cutting the corner

Well, this certainly looks athletic, but it still strikes us as illogical: Cooper Kupp performs what we might call a tuck-and-fly as he cuts over the right corner of the end zone, passes through a small slice of its airspace, and winds up with a touchdown even though he never touched the end zone.

If you love the break-the-plane rule, a play such as this must give you goosebumps. It just makes us sigh and hope for a better rule, and better touchdowns. Rating: 4

HOU@IND: Another corner-cutter

The Colts’ Mo Allie-Cox concludes this 28-yard pass play by planting his right foot in front of the goal line, then after passing over the goal line, landing out of bounds on his left foot (see below).

Yes, that meets the requirement for a break-the-plane touchdown, but it annoys people such as us who would like to expect all touchdowns to happen fully in bounds and fully in the end zone. Is that too much to ask? For the time being, yes, it is. Rating: 3.5