Touch(ed)down!!!

Jason Moyer
Sunday July 6, 2008

In Super Bowl XXXIV, it was Tennessee Titan wide receiver Kevin Dyson stretching for the goal line only to come up one yard shy of scoring the tying touchdown as Mike Jones of the St. Louis Rams made the game winning tackle.    

In the Arena Football League divisional playoff game between the Philadelphia Soul and the New York Dragons, it was Philadelphia’s wide receiver Larry Brackins stretching his 6’4” frame to score the game winning touchdown for the Soul as time expired for a 49-48 victory…then again maybe not depending on which way you view the game.

And when I say that it depends on which way you view the game, I am not speaking if you are a Soul fan or a Dragons fan.  But thanks to the league adopting instant replay for the playoffs this season, I’m talking about camera angles and freeze frames.

Whether or not Brackins actually touched the ball on the goal line before his knee was down will stick in the craw of Dragons fans much like the Music City Miracle lateral is still bemoaned by supporters of the Buffalo Bills.  

Even with the use of instant replay, there simply was not enough conclusive evidence to overturn the decision that was made on the field.  

As Referee Bill Athan explained, “Both the Line Judge and the Back Judge told me that they had the runner [Brackins] scoring, breaking the goal line with possession of the football.”

“I went to the replay monitor, told the replay official what the call on the field was and they gave me four, I believe four shots, four angles,” continued Athan.  “There was no evidence that showed me, that I can see, that the runner had not scored and I could reverse what was called on the field.”

For a fan of the Soul, the use of instant replay was used in the absolute 100% correct way (as deemed by the letter of the rule).  The ruling on the field was a touchdown and to overturn that decision, the replay had to show without a doubt that the runner was down before the ball crossed the goal line, which it did not.

And for Dragon fans, the use of instant replay was also used in the absolute 100% correct way (except allowing for the use of common sense).  At least one camera angle showed Brackin’s knee on the carpet apparently before stretching the ball across the end zone.  However, because the camera was behind the goal line, there was enough doubt as to where the ball was when his knee touched down that the on-the-field ruling could not be changed.

One thing is certain no matter which was you view this game, it became an instant ESPN classic and will vault right to the top of the list as one of the all-time great games.  

There was a great (controversial) finish, there were momentum swings, there were goal line stands, there were interceptions, there were safeties, there were field goals, and there was great drama.

The only thing that could have made this game any better was if it was ArenaBowl XXII…unless you are a New York fan looking for a different camera angle. 

Inside the game

Matt D’Orazio (PHI) completed 20 of 32 passes for 258 yards with six touchdowns and one interception.

Chris Jackson (PHI) caught eight balls for 122 yards and four touchdowns.

Eddie Moten (PHI) compiled 13 tackles and one interception.

Aaron Garcia (NY) finished 34 for 45 and 337 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.

Kevin Swayne (NY) hauled in 14 passes for 166 yards and all five of Garcia’s touchdowns.

Munsey on the last play

“They went three deep and he [Brackins] was able to make the play and get in the end zone.  That’s what it’s all about and from a fans perspective it doesn’t get any better than this.  But I’m not a fan, I’m a coach.  I was about to have a heart attack out there.”

Brackins on the last play

“I knew they were going to play off of us, so I just ran up as far as I can across the middle and it was going to clear out.”

“When I came open, I knew I had to do what I needed to get in.”

Munsey on instant replay

“I think at the end of the day, they’re going to look at the replay and make the right decision.  You know what it came down to either he scored or there wasn’t enough evidence to over rule the call on the field.  Either way that’s the way the rules designed to work and we got the win.”

Next game

Philadelphia will host the National Conference Championship Game next weekend against the winner of the Georgia Force and Cleveland Gladiators.