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My question involves whether a TD is scored when the following occurs:

A player with the ball dives toward the pylon while angling toward the pylon.
The player dives for the left goal line pylon (while inbounds) from the 3 yard line.
The player is carrying the ball in his left hand while diving.
The player flies through the air and breaks the plane of the goal line with his right hand while airborne and does not touch out of bounds prior to doing so.
The players right hand (without the ball) flies OVER the pylon, but does not touch the pylon, but does break the plane of the goal line.
The ball itself is in the players left hand and DOES NOT break the plane of the goal line.
The player then lands out of bounds and maintains possession of the ball.

Question: Is a touchdown scored on this play?

The reason I am asking is that this exact scenario played out a few years ago on Monday Night football. (I believe it was MNF) The ball carrier was Michael Vick and the team he was playing against was the Saints. (I also recall it was the Saints but I may be wrong on this one.) In this instance a TD was credited although the ball itself never broke the plane of the goal line. Was this the correct call? Or was a mistake made on this call?

Question: Did the ball break the plane of the goal line extended throught the pylon out of bounds?

In the Michael Vick play you describe, the ball DID break the plane of the goal line extended, even though the ball was outside the pylon. Yes, that was a TD and properly called.


In the hypothetical you note that the ball does NOT break the plane. Remember, the plane of the goal line extends through each pylon (actually, the pylon is supposed to be entirely in the end zone and out of bounds), and into the stands and beyond infintely. The Michael Vick play you describe, the ball DID break that plane, even though it was outside the pylon.

Here's a simpler way to think about it:

Let's say DeSean Jackson catches a long pass from McNabb and is running down the field near the sideline. He's going to score easily. At the 5-yard line, he holds the ball over the sideline (perhaps his arms outstretched like an airplane pose), but his feet remain inbounds. He never steps out of bounds, and runs into the end zone untouched with the ball strecthed outside the pylon. The ball broke the plane of the goal line, but outside the pylon. It's still a TD. Jackson never stepped out of bounds.

Bjerk

Ed,

This exact play just occurred during the Monday Night football game involving the Niners and Cardinals. Toward the end of the first half, Frank Gore dove toward the pylon and broke the plane (actually hit the pylon) with the hand that did not have the ball and flew past the pylon while the ball was out of bounds. The play was ruled not a TD. Was this the correct call?

I am very interested in what you think about this call as it is the EXACT same play I described involving Michael Vick that was ruled a TD and that you believe should have been ruled a TD.

The Niners did eventually score a TD on the drive, but was the first down call correct?