Ravens’ Harbaugh: NFL catch rule ‘clear as mud’

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh wants more clarification to the NFL’s catch rule after Isaiah Likely’s go-ahead touchdown was overturned in Sunday’s 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

«It’s about as clear as mud right now,» Harbaugh said Monday. «That’s how I feel about it.»

The referees initially ruled Likely scored on a 13-yard pass from Lamar Jackson — which would have given the Ravens a one-point lead with 2:43 remaining — despite the tight end losing the ball in the end zone.

But less than a minute later, referee Alex Moore announced that it was an incompletion. Likely had the ball punched out by Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. before he made a third step in the end zone. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained in a pool report Sunday that the third step is «an act common to the game» and needed to be completed in order for it to be ruled a touchdown.

overturned calls in the fourth quarter: Likely’s touchdown and Baltimore’s interception of Aaron Rodgers.

Travis Jones’ unnecessary roughness penalty on the Steelers’ 32-yard field goal in the second quarter. Instead of a field goal, the Steelers scored a touchdown one play after the penalty, meaning they received an extra four points on that drive.

Moore told a pool reporter after the game that Jones made «forcible» and «unnecessary» contact with the long snapper, but Jones shouldn’t have been penalized because he didn’t make any contact with the head or neck area.

«That’s the rule,» Harbaugh said. «It’s not whether you run a player over trying to block a field goal — that has nothing to do with it. It’s forcible contact to the head and neck area.»