In the Cowboys-Eagles game, it was the difference between a fourth down play ending short of the goal line and a touchdown.

During the fourth quarter, with Philadelphia leading 28-17, Dallas tight end Luke Schoonmaker caught the ball outside the end zone. When his knee struck the ground, the ball was not across the goal line. When he landed (and held onto the ball and thus completed the catch) the ball had broken the plane of the end zone.

It was not ruled a touchdown. It was ruled a turnover on downs.

“By rule he is down by contact,” the NFL explained in response to an inquiry from PFT. “The same would apply at the sideline if a receiver is in the act of completing the catch, has control and knee hits inbounds but he falls out of bounds with the ball. He is down by contact inbounds where his knee hits and the ball is dead at that point.”




The catch rule contains a curious loophole - NBC Sports