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Related: About this forumNFL, Elias reviewing Peyton Manning passing record: lateral or pass?
In Week 17 against the Raiders, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning broke the single-season record for passing yards, beating Drew Brees old record by a single yard. But he might not hold onto the record for long.
The NFL is reportedly reviewing a 7-yard pass by Manning to Eric Decker with about a minute remaining in the first quarter, which could very well be wiped off the books. If it was wiped off, Manning's record would be voided as well.
On the play in question, Decker lined up in the slot:
Decker basically steps backwards with Manning making a quick-hitting throw. Here Manning is cocking his arm back to throw:
When Manning releases the ball there's very little question that Decker is behind him (the ball is in the air at this point):
And when Decker makes the catch, he and Manning are insanely close in terms of what yardage marker they're on:
According to the NFL rulebook, a forward pass requires "the ball initially moves forward (to a point nearer the opponent's goal line) after leaving the passer's hand(s)."
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24393148/nfl-elias-reviewing-peyton-manning-passing-record
It clearly looks like a lateral and if the NFL rules that way, Manning will finish the season 6 yards short of the record..They'll no doubt let him slide though..
erpowers
(9,350 posts)It seems like a lateral to me. However, I think there is a bit of room for fudging the call and saying the pass was a forward pass. The officials and Manning supporters could say the football was actually slightly moving forward and it was only Manning's body position that made it look like the pass was lateral. However, I think the NFL should take the record away from Manning so no one can say the league showed favoritism to Manning.
Upton
(9,709 posts)those pictures are pretty convincing. The NFL ought to just admit it and set things right. Manning has other records anyway.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)But the NFL has its tongue so far up Payless' you know what that taking the record away is not even a remote possibility.
Upton
(9,709 posts)Like the way the NFL doesn't have special rules for golden boys from Foxboro??
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Hey, the espn poll yesterday had more people blaming RGIII for the debacle of 2013 than Shannahan...although Snyder got the most votes of all!
TZ
(42,998 posts)Never said my fellow fans weren't idiots.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)here are teabagging idiots. I'll take the DC Washington NFL fan idiots over the teabagging idiots out here.
mythology
(9,527 posts)Or the "illegal batting" call against the Dolphins?
Or the uncalled holding penalty on the final play of the Saints game?
A Patriots fan complaining about the officials is a bad joke.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)erpowers
(9,350 posts)I think the statement goes for both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Some might add the rule goes for any star quarterback, or any star player.
caraher
(6,278 posts)Is anyone out there combing film from Brees' record-setting season to check for laterals mistakenly listed as forward passes?
When the two players, after a 16-game season, are less than 10 yards apart in total passing yards, which one gets credit for the record is more a matter of chance than anything else. Obsessing over one play is silly. Moreover, scrutinizing film from just this one game, simply because it was the last of 16 games from the second of the quarterbacks to post essentially the same number of passing yards in a season, is to put a thumb on the scales against whichever QB happened to be the second.
Reverse the record or not; I really don't care one way or the other about who holds this record between Manning and Brees. But it's absurd to think the outcome is more correct one way or another unless you go back over every pass thrown by either QB and look for blown calls - and it's dead certain there will be some other ones for both of them.