Saints-Lions included controversial reversal of strip-sack-score

Key Points:

• During the Saints vs. Lions game, a controversial play occurred when Lions QB Jared Goff was hit by Saints DE Chase Young as he threw a pass that went backward, which the Saints recovered and initially scored on.
• The on-field ruling was overturned after review, with NFL VP of instant replay Mark Butterworth clarifying that because Goff had already started his throwing motion before contact, the pass was ruled a forward pass despite traveling backward.
• The key factor in the ruling is whether the quarterback begins the throwing motion before the defender's contact; if so, any backward movement of the ball is still considered a forward pass under NFL rules.
• This rule differs from a fumble scenario where the quarterback’s arm has not moved forward, and it can lead to confusing outcomes, such as a backward pass being ruled forward if the quarterback is hit after starting the throwing motion.
• The explanation highlights the complexity and sometimes counterintuitive nature of the rule, referencing a similar controversial play from a previous Rams-Seahawks game involving a backward pass without defender contact.