NFL again faces questions about the definition of a catch after disputed pick in Bills-Broncos game

Hey, NFL: What’s a catch?

Once again, many football fans, coaches and commentators are questioning the definition of a catch after a disputed interception helped eliminate the Buffalo Bills from the playoffs in a 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos on Saturday.

Josh Allen’s deep pass to Brandin Cooks in overtime was wrestled out of the veteran receiver’s hands by Ja’Quan McMillian, and officials ruled that McMillian had the ball before Cooks was down by contact. Denver was awarded the turnover at its 20.

Cooks “was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground,” referee Carl Cheffers said in a pool report. “The defender gained possession of it at that point. The defender is the one that completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott couldn’t challenge the ruling because of the league’s overtime rules, so he called a timeout to give the officiating crew and replay officials a chance to take an extended look. The play already had been confirmed through the NFL’s expedited review process in New York, so the timeout essentially just gave McDermott an opportunity to get an explanation.

McDermott, of course, wasn’t pleased. But he was even more upset by the appearance of a rushed process. There are routine play...