Friendly Reminder for this sunday Seahawks vs Packers.

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Hello /sp/. Just a friendly reminder that Golden Tate's infamous catch was legitimate. How you might ask? Let's look at the rules:

When a player jumps in the air for a ball, it's not a catch until the player gets down with both feet in bounds. This is straight from the NFL rule book.

"A player (or players) jumping in the air has not legally gained possession of the ball until he satisfies the elements of a catch listed here:

Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3 of the NFL Rule Book defines a catch:

A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) if a player, who is inbounds:

(a) secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and

(b) touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; and

(c) maintains control of the ball long enough, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, to enable him to perform any act common to the game (i.e., maintaining control long enough to pitch it, pass it, advance with it, or avoid or ward off an opponent, etc.)"
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The phrase "has not legally gained possession" is very important here. Jennings definitely has more of the ball than Tate, but Jennings doesn't have "possession" as defined by the NFL yet.

Remember, he needs to get both feet down and have control for a few moments. Between the time he first gets his hands on the ball and gets to the ground, Tate has already established possession.

1. Tate had a hand on the ball at the same time Jennings did.
2. He gets more of his hand on the ball along with Jennings.

3. Both of Tate's feet touch the ground before Jennings' do.

Tldr: Packers got assfucked and it was legal.