If you watched the Rams’ divisional round win over the Bears and felt like you were seeing a replay of Saturday night’s Bills-Broncos game, you weren’t imagining things. Two games, two almost identical plays - but two very different outcomes. And once again, the NFL’s catch rule found itself in the spotlight.
Let’s rewind.
On Saturday, Bills wideout Brandin Cooks appeared to haul in a Josh Allen pass in overtime, only to have it ripped away by a Broncos defender. The officials ruled it an interception - not a catch and fumble - and the backlash was swift.
Social media lit up. Fans, analysts, and even former players questioned the call.
Was it really an interception? Or did Cooks do enough to establish possession?
Fast forward to Sunday night. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford fired a dart to Davante Adams in tight coverage.
Adams came down with it, got dragged to the turf, and lost the ball in the process. Only this time, the officials ruled it a completed catch.
The Rams kept the ball, capitalized with a touchdown, and the Bears were left wondering what just happened.
Same type of play. Different result. So what gives?
The Catch Rule: Where Clarity Goes to Die
To understand the difference, we’ve got to dig into the NFL’s notoriously murky catch rule. At its core, the rule requires three things: control of the ball, getting two feet (or another body part) down in bounds, and making a “football move” - or controlling the ball long enough to do so.
Here’s where things get tricky: the rulebook doesn’t define what “long enough” actually means. That gray area is where most of these controversies live.
In Cooks’ case, yes, he had two feet and a knee down. But officials determined he was still “going to the ground” and hadn’t made a football move.
So when the ball came loose - even though it never touched the turf - it was ruled an interception. Without establishing possession, there’s no fumble.
And if the ball never hits the ground, the defender can legally take it away.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when it looks like a catch. But by the letter of the law, the officials stuck to the rule.
Why Davante Adams’ Catch Was Different
Now let’s look at Adams.
On the surface, the play looks a lot like Cooks’ - a contested catch, a defender dragging him down, the ball coming loose. But there’s one crucial difference: Adams took an extra step after securing the ball.
That third step is what officials consider a “football move.” It’s the tipping point between a receiver still trying to complete the process of a catch and one who already has.
Once Adams took that step and his knee hit the ground with control of the ball, he was ruled down by contact. After that, it doesn’t matter if the ball gets stripped - the play’s over. It’s a catch, period.
NBC’s rules analyst Terry McAulay confirmed as much during the broadcast, saying Adams “clearly completed the catch” and had the ball “long enough.” That’s the kind of real-time validation coaches - and fans - want to hear.
Timing, Not Optics
So why did these two plays feel so similar but result in opposite rulings? Because in the NFL, the difference between a catch and a turnover can come down to fractions of a second.
A third step. A slight tuck.
A moment of balance. These are the subtle details that separate “down by contact” from “never had possession.”
And that’s why the Rams came out on the right side of the call - not because of a makeup decision or officiating inconsistency, but because Adams did just enough to satisfy the rulebook.
For fans, it’s understandably frustrating. The plays look the same.
The outcomes don’t. But when you slow it down and apply the rule as written (and interpreted), the distinction becomes clear - or at least, as clear as the NFL allows it to be.
Should the Rule Be Clearer? Absolutely.
There’s no doubt the league could do a better job clarifying what constitutes a catch. The “long enough” language leaves too much room for interpretation, and that’s where confusion - and controversy - thrive. Until the NFL tightens up the rulebook, we’re going to keep having these conversations.
But in this case, the Rams didn’t benefit from a blown call. They benefited from execution - and from Davante Adams doing just enough to turn a bang-bang play into a game-changing moment.
In a postseason where every inch matters, that third step might’ve been the most important one of the night.