Freak Catch In SB - Harmon Could Have Done More

[RayClay]

I believe giving up on the play meant not running back on the field from 2 yards out of bounds to make the tackle that butler did.

He said he was surprised at what he saw on replays, since he didn't see anything [ball] in live action.

 

[Rob0729]

We see ridiculous, circus and every other kind of catch made every week. It's why pro's are taught to play to the whistle, never give up on a play, etc. Harmon didn't do that on that play. You could excuse him, because it was a ridiculous catch, but it doesn't change the fact that his actions (BY HIS OWN ADMISSION) were dictated, in large part, as a result of him thinking the play was over.

But this wasn't a ridiculous circus catch. This was a broken up pass that was bouncing around close to the ground between Kearse's legs. We do not have Harmon's point of view (the closest camera view is 10-20 yards behind him) and do not know whether from his point of view that the ball looked like it touched the ground. Again, I do not know how you can blame him that he thought the play was over. It may have looked that way from his point of view.

If Butler was looking in that direction when the ball was bouncing around Kearse's legs, he might have thought the same thing as Harmon that the play was over. He didn't turn around until the ball was already bouncing into Kearse's hands. He actually had an advantage to have his back to the play and only saw Kearse get up and running with the ball. I don't think he had any idea how lucky that catch was until after the play and he saw the replay.

 

[mb6592]

We see ridiculous, circus and every other kind of catch made every week. It's why pro's are taught to play to the whistle, never give up on a play, etc. Harmon didn't do that on that play. You could excuse him, because it was a ridiculous catch, but it doesn't change the fact that his actions (BY HIS OWN ADMISSION) were dictated, in large part, as a result of him thinking the play was over.

Are we talking a trip, pirouette and change of direction resulting in a swat of the bouncing ball? I'd say the chance of that happening, even given the penalty, was small.

By your own admission Ray, you said he could have tripped over him - even that would have been a better choice than what he did.

 

[mb6592]

But this wasn't a ridiculous circus catch. This was a broken up pass that was bouncing around close to the ground between Kearse's legs. We do not have Harmon's point of view (the closest camera view is 10-20 yards behind him) and do not know whether from his point of view that the ball looked like it touched the ground. Again, I do not know how you can blame him that he thought the play was over. It may have looked that way from his point of view.

If Butler was looking in that direction when the ball was bouncing around Kearse's legs, he might have thought the same thing as Harmon that the play was over. He didn't turn around until the ball was already bouncing into Kearse's hands. He actually had an advantage to have his back to the play and only saw Kearse get up and running with the ball. I don't think he had any idea how lucky that catch was until after the play and he saw the replay.

Screw it, we won! I love Harmon!

 

[scott99]

I don't want Harmon to clobber Kearse. I want him make a play on the ball. I guarantee tape of that play finds a permanent place in the Belisitrator "how not to play safety" highlight reel.

Unless he had stickum on his ankles, no way he can make a play on the ball, all the while with his momentum taking him oob.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

But this wasn't a ridiculous circus catch. This was a broken up pass that was bouncing around close to the ground between Kearse's legs. We do not have Harmon's point of view (the closest camera view is 10-20 yards behind him) and do not know whether from his point of view that the ball looked like it touched the ground. Again, I do not know how you can blame him that he thought the play was over. It may have looked that way from his point of view.

....

I have a feeling that a "point of emphasis" in the Pats' and every team's Training Camp this year will be that if the ball is in the air, you assume that it is "live" no matter what you think you saw or what you assumed happened until the Ref has blown the play dead.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I have a feeling that a "point of emphasis" in the Pats' and every team's Training Camp this year will be that if the ball is in the air, you assume that it is "live" no matter what you think you saw or what you assumed happened until the Ref has blown the play dead.

This type of situation would be an excellent example to bring up and discuss with the officials during training camp