This is why Broncos’ 11-10 win vs. 49ers ought to’ve been the primary such ultimate rating in NFL historical past

When the Broncos edged the 49ers in Sunday evening’s Week 3 defensive battle to say an 11-10 victory, they grew to become simply the second staff in NFL historical past to win a recreation with that ultimate rating. However there’s proof to counsel Sunday’s matchup truly ought to’ve been the very first occasion of an 11-10 ultimate. It dates to 2008, when the Steelers beat the Chargers with the identical rating … however solely after a last-second landing was wrongly nixed by a penalty towards San Diego.

That season, in Week 11 (go determine), the Steelers led the Chargers 11-10 with 5 seconds remaining. Philip Rivers took a shotgun snap because the Chargers quarterback, with time for another play from San Diego’s personal 20-yard line. He accomplished a brief throw to operating again LaDainian Tomlinson with three seconds left, and because the clock winded towards zero, Tomlinson proceeded to pitch the ball to extensive receiver Chris Chambers, who juked round earlier than attempting his personal lateral again to Rivers.

Chambers’ lateral, which went skyward, was deflected midair by Steelers security Troy Polamalu, who then scooped up the reside ball and outran wideout Malcom Floyd to attain a defensive landing. The rating made it 17-10, in favor of the Steelers, earlier than the additional level. However that is when the officiating crew got here in to steal — and rewrite — the present. Regardless of the fumble restoration initially standing as a landing, a replay subsequently overturned the decision on the sector, with the official claiming an unlawful ahead go had occurred and, thus, by rule, rendered the play lifeless upon mentioned go.

The ultimate TD was promptly erased, and the Steelers as a substitute gained 11-10. Pittsburgh had little cause to complain, because the staff improved to 7-3 underneath Mike Tomlin, then in simply his second season as coach, and went on to win Super Bowl XLIII.

However nowhere in archived video of Polamalu’s scoop and rating — and the laterals that preceded it — is it clear that an unlawful ahead go was thrown through the play. Tomlinson tosses the ball behind his again to Chambers after catching Rivers’ preliminary throw, and Chambers’ toss, from in regards to the 27-yard line, clearly travels backward and will get knocked out of the air by Polamalu at roughly the 23-yard line. The primary lateral is not as apparent because the second, however the ball by no means strikes up area and isn’t even thrown in a ahead route.

Seems, the penalty ought to by no means have been issued. The NFL — and particularly referee Scott Inexperienced — admitted after the game that Polamalu and the Steelers ought to’ve been given credit score for the rating, and that the rule had been “misinterpreted.” However get this: they nonetheless dominated that an unlawful ahead go had occurred, between Tomlinson and Chambers; it is simply that it hadn’t hit the bottom, so play was capable of proceed.

There have been three passes on the play. The primary was a accomplished ahead go from San Diego’s Philip Rivers to LaDainian Tomlinson. The second, from Tomlinson to Chris Chambers, was initially dominated a authorized backward go however then reversed in replay to an unlawful ahead go. The third, from Chambers, was a authorized backward go that hit the bottom and was returned for the landing by Pittsburgh’s Polamalu. …

If any ahead go, authorized or unlawful, hits the bottom, the play is lifeless instantly. The officiating crew mistakenly decided that the backward go that Polamalu legally recovered and returned for the landing was the go that was reversed in replay to being ahead and unlawful. Subsequently, the crew dominated that the ball was lifeless when it hit the bottom and the play was over. (The precise unlawful ahead go — Tomlinson to Chambers — didn’t hit the bottom and due to this fact the play is allowed to proceed.) …

If the scenario had been dealt with correctly, the protection (Pittsburgh) would have declined the penalty for an unlawful ahead go from Tomlinson to Chambers and brought the landing.

So subsequent time you discuss 11-10 NFL scoring trivia, go proper forward and throw an asterisk on the Steelers-Chargers recreation as the primary to ever submit such a ultimate. The Broncos and 49ers, in the meantime, can relaxation much more comfortably figuring out they — unofficially however authentically — had been the primary to ever end an NFL recreation with 11-10 up on the scoreboard.