Four weeks ago, a questionable application of a questionable rule caused the Lions to lose against the Bears in Chicago.
Today, a horrible application of that same questionable rule sent the Bengals to defeat against the Bucs.
After Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer threw his third interception, which was returned by safety Sabby Piscitelli (which also remains my favorite dish at the Olive Garden) to the Cincinnati 34, Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman threw a 21-yard pass to receiver Micheal Spurlock, who caught it at the sidelines and fell out of bounds.
Replays showed that Spurlock, who was falling as he made the catch, failed to maintain possession of the ball once he struck the ground. So after further review, the call on the field of a completed pass would be overturned, right?
Um, wrong.
The call inexplicably stood, and on the next play the Bucs kicked the game-winning field goal.
Though it was simply a bad mistake, the fact that it involved one of the most controversial rules in the sport will do nothing to reduce the controversy regarding the rule.
Meanwhile, the Bucs are 3-1 -- a year after going 3-13. And the Bengals are 2-3, a year after winning the AFC North.