JAX@SEA: ‘Barely is good’

What do you do when you attempt three straight runs from the 1 and can’t get into the end zone? Concede that you need to score the easy way — cash in with a touchdown by technicality!

Here Seattle’s Geno Smith — on this occasion filling in for an injured Russell Wilson — who put the Seahawks on Jacksonville’s 1 after a 27-yard pass to Tyler Lockett (at first ruled a TD, but then overturned) now facing fourth-and-goal just inside the 1. Rashaad Penny had been stuffed on first and second down, and as the extended clip shows, on third down Alex Collins got blasted by Jags ILB Damien Wilson (54). Now what?

Smith goes front springboard over both lines and briefly pokes the ball into end zone airspace before he quickly pulls it back. All of that great defense effort the Jaguars put out gets negated by a weak airspace wave such as this? Wow.

“He just barely got it, didn’t he?” asks CBS analyst Adam Archuleta. Announcer Greg Gumbel responds: “Barely is good at a time like that.”

We’re fans of Geno Smith, but we have to acknowledge that this result, while legitimate according to the break-the-plane rule, is lame. Hocus Bogus rating: 5

CIN@NYJ: Heel of an effort

Great job by New York’s Ty Johnson to tightrope the left sideline and come really close to scoring a touchdown that no one would dispute. However, by a split-second, Johnson’s left heel hits out of bounds just before his forefoot lands on the goal line. We anticipate this will elicit howls of disagreement, but we would give the Jets the ball on the six-inch line, first-and-goal.

Had Johnson’s forefoot first contacted the goal line before his heel hit the pylon (which is positioned out of bounds, we would rule that move a touchdown. Our rule awards a score when a ball carrier’s first contact occurs clearly in bounds within the end zone. This is so close. But still out. Rating: 1.5