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Dez Caught It

Lambeau Field, the site of the game.
Dallas Cowboys (6) (12–4) Green Bay Packers (2) (12–4) 21 26 Head coach: Jason Garrett Head coach: Mike McCarthy
1 2 3 4 Total DAL 7 7 7 0 21 GB 7 3 10 6 26
Date	January 11, 2015
Stadium	Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Referee	Gene Steratore
Attendance	79,704
TV in the United States
Network	Fox
Announcers	Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers

"Dez Caught It" or the "No-Catch Game" was an NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The game gained notoriety after a play in which Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant attempted to catch a pass from quarterback Tony Romo in the closing minutes of the game that was initially ruled a catch before controversially being overturned upon further review. The Packers would proceed to win the game by a score of 26–21 and move on to the NFC Championship game. In the proceeding years, the NFL changed their rules regarding catching a pass while falling to the ground. The new rules would have given Bryant a completed catch.

Background

Both teams entered the playoffs at identical 12–4 records at the end of the NFL season.

The Cowboys entered as the 6th seed after clinching the NFC East, making them the 10th non-repeat division champs since the 2004 season. Dallas won 5 out of their last 6 games after their bye week, which clinched the division and advanced them to the NFC Wild Card game, where they defeated the Detroit Lions to further advance to the NFC Divisional Playoff round. That game was not without its own controversy because of a pass interference flag that was called on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens when he seemingly interfered with Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew. The back judge Lee Dyer threw his flag to signify defensive pass interference, and head referee Pete Morelli initially announced the penalty, however, after conferring with head linesman Jerry Bergman, it was determined that Hitchens legally defended Pettigrew on the route. The flag was therefore picked up and the penalty waived off, causing the controversy. After the game, NFL Vice President of Officiating, Dean Blandino stated that the no-call on pass interference was debatable, but defensive holding definitely should have been called on the play. The Cowboys won that game, 24–20.

The Packers entered the playoffs as the 2nd seed after clinching the NFC North division for the fourth year in a row, earning a first round bye. Green Bay, like Dallas, only lost one game after their own bye week, winning 7 out of 8. The Packers made the playoffs for the sixth straight season, tying the record set between 1993 and 1998.

This game would be the two teams' first meeting in the playoffs in 19 years, since the 1995 NFC Championship game, and the first playoff game in the rivalry played at Lambeau Field 47 years, with the last being the legendary Ice Bowl.

Game summary

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

• Date: January 11
• Game time: 1:05 p.m. EST/12:05 p.m. CST/10:05 a.m. PST
• Game weather: 24 °F (−4 °C), cloudy
• Game attendance: 79,704
• Referee: Gene Steratore
• TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentator), Erin Andrews, and Chris Myers (sideline reporters)
• Recap, Gamebook

First half

Both teams managed to score a touchdown in the first quarter. Green Bay scored first after a 10-play, 60-yard drive, with a 4-yard pass from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to tight end Andrew Quarless. With 1:05 to go in the quarter, the Cowboys drove 62 yards in 12 plays, capped off by a 1-yard scoring pass from Tony Romo to fullback Tyler Clutts.

In the second quarter, both offenses continued to struggle. Wide receiver Terrance Williams took a Romo pass 38 yards into the endzone to give Dallas a 14–7 lead. A few drives later, the Cowboys were set up at the Packers 32-yard line for a Dan Bailey field goal attempt of 50 yards. However, the field goal was partially blocked by Datone Jones, resulting in the kick missing wide to the right. Taking over on their own 40, the Packers drove 38-yards to the Dallas 22-yard line, scoring on a 40-yard Mason Crosby field goal before the half ended, putting the score at 14–10 for the Cowboys.

Second half

Getting the ball back to start the second half, the Packers continued on offense, but quickly had to punt after five plays. Dallas took over, but running back DeMarco Murray fumbled at the Cowboys' 41-yard line on a tackle by Julius Peppers, which was recovered by Datone Jones at the Dallas 44 yard line. Later in the drive, Crosby hit a 30-yard field goal to put the score at 14–13. With 7:46 left in the quarter, Dallas scored on a 6-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a 1-yard run by Murray. Green Bay answered back with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams on a 7-play drive to put the score at 21–20 to end the 3rd quarter.

Romo took two consecutive sacks from Nick Perry to end the 3rd and start the 4th quarters, which resulted in the Cowboys punting back to the Packers a few plays later. From their own 20, Rodgers took his offense on an 8-play, 80-yard drive, connecting on a 13-yard pass to Richard Rodgers II putting the score at 26–21. Green Bay attempted a two-point conversion, which failed.

With the Cowboys taking over from their own 18, their drive started with a 30-yard run by Murray to the Dallas 48. A Joseph Randle run, an 10-yard pass to Bryant, and a 2-yard Murray run put Dallas at the Green Bay 38-yard line. After Romo was sacked by Mike Neal, he connected with Cole Beasley for a 9-yard completion.

The controversial play

Down by 5 with 4:42 left to go in the game, the Cowboys were facing 4th and 2 on the Packers' 32-yard line. Going for it, Romo threw a deep pass to Dez Bryant near the goal line. Being covered by cornerback Sam Shields, Bryant made a leaping catch over Shields, and in an attempt to secure the football for the catch and reach across the goal line for the touchdown, Bryant tucked the ball in his left arm by his elbow while extending out for the spot. The pass was initially ruled a completed catch with Bryant being downed at the Packers' 1-yard line. However, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy threw his challenge flag, arguing that the ball hit the ground before Bryant completed the process of a legal catch. After a review by Gene Steratore and the other officials, it was determined that Bryant did not properly secure the ball before it hit the ground, thus overturning the call and ruling the pass incomplete. Cowboys fans watching the game, angry at the call, would show their frustration by starting the Twitter hashtag #DezCaughtIt.

Turning the ball over on downs with 4:06 left to play, the Cowboys' offense would never get the ball back again. After a few more plays, involving a 26-yard pass to Davante Adams and a 12-yard pass to Randall Cobb, the Packers secured a 26–21 win, advancing to the NFC Championship. Rodgers finished with 316 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, while Romo finished with 191 yards, two touchdowns, and also no interceptions.

Aftermath

Following the game, Bryant would describe the overturned catch to the media: "All I know is I had possession, I had possession of the ball coming down, that's possession, right? One, two, reach. Bam, that's possession. That's possession." In regards to the catch rule, Bryant expressed his disdain, stating, "I'm just begging them: please, please take that out. "Take that rule out." Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would expand by saying, "any time we have interpretation in our rules, that happens. The judgment on the field, we have a principle that prevails, and it has to be overturned by pretty strong evidence. I didn't see it on that play." Fox Sports analyst Mike Pereira added his thoughts on the play, saying, "I don't agree he made a football move, certainly not in the context of the rule. He's going to the ground, the ball pops out then. Nobody likes this rule...but it wasn't a by the rule."

The Packers would go on to lose the NFC Championship game 28–22 to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cowboys and Packers would meet again in the NFC Divisional round in the 2016 playoffs. With Dallas trailing 28–13 after the 3rd quarter, touchdown passes to Jason Witten and Dez Bryan by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, tied the game at 28–28. Field goals by Bailey and Crosby once again tied the game at 31–31 with 35 seconds left to go. Rodgers, after taking a blindside sack, passed deep to Jared Cook, who made an in-bounds sideline catch at the Dallas 32, which set up a successful 51-yard field goal by Crosby. And again, the Cowboys could not beat the Packers, as they lost 34–31.

Rule change

Prior to 2018, Article 3 in the NFL Rulebook stated that:

"If a receiver loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete."

The rule was nicknamed the "Calvin Johnson Rule" after a week 1 game in the 2010 NFL season between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions which also involved referee Gene Steratore controversially overturning a potential game winning catch for the Lions by Johnson upon further review.

This was hotly debated for years, until March of 2018, when the NFL announced it would work to change their catch rule. Kevin Seifert of ESPN reported, "the NFL competition committee appears to have unanimous agreement that controversial catch rulings involving Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson should have been ruled complete, according to Giants owner John Mara. So the committee is working on changing the rule to relax the 'going to the ground' requirement." On July 23, 2015, the rule was officially changed to state as follows:

"A player is considered to be going to the ground if he does not remain upright long enough to demonstrate that he is clearly a runner. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball until after his initial contact with the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete."

With the change, the rule takes out the process of making a "football move" in order to complete a catch. Dean Blandino discussed the new rule, saying, "For years the requirement for a catch is control, both feet and after that the receiver had to have the ball long enough to perform a act. It was that act common to the game, football move, that created some confusion."

Starting lineups

Officials

• Referee: Gene Steratore (#114)
• Umpire: Bill Schuster (#129)
• Head Linesman: Dana McKenzie (#8)
• Line Judge: Rusty Baynes (#59)
• Back Judge: Todd Prukop (#30)
• Side Judge: Tom Hill (#97)
• Field Judge: Terry Brown (#43)
• Replay Official: Bill Spyksma

See also

• Cowboys–Packers rivalry

References

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9. "Refs czar: Holding call missed vs. Dallas LB". ESPN.com. 2015-01-05. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
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21. "Mike Pereira's final word on Dez Bryant: 'Nobody likes this rule' but that was not a catch". FOX Sports. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
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25. "The NFL competition committee appears to have unanimous agreement that controversial catch rulings involving Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson should have been ruled complete, according to Giants owner John Mara. So the committee is working on changing the rule to relax the "going to the ground" requirement". ESPN.com. 2018-02-27. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
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External links

• Cowboys vs. Packers 2014 Divisional Round highlights on YouTube
• Pro Football Reference page for the game

• Pending AfC submissions
• Pending AfC submissions in article space
• AfC submissions by date/29 December 2020