During the second quarter at Ford Field, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff dropped back to pass. Saints defensive end Chase Young reached him and forced a fumble as Goff began his throwing motion. The ball bounced backward about 15 yards, and Saints defensive back Jonas Sanker recovered and returned it for a touchdown. Officials initially ruled the play a backward pass, which would have kept the ball live and allowed Sanker to score, tying the game at 7-7.
However, a replay review overturned the call, ruling instead that Goff’s pass was an incomplete forward pass. The timing of Goff’s throwing motion, which had already begun when contact occurred, was cited as the key factor in the decision.
Mike Pereira, FOX Sports’ officiating analyst, explained on the broadcast that Goff had started his throwing motion, which indicates a forward pass regardless of where the ball lands. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth echoed the assessment, noting that the defender’s contact occurred after Goff began his throwing motion, thereby making the play a forward pass.
This kind of backward-pass ruling has sparked discussion in the past. A similar situation arose in the Rams-Seahawks game last season, when Seattle’s Sam Darnold threw the ball backward on a two-point try and the ruling remained a backward pass. That case differed because Darnold wasn’t hit as he began his throwing motion.
Saints players expressed frustration with the overturned touchdown, though not in direct conflict with the rulebook. Linebacker Kaden Ellis described the moment as looking like a sack/fumble to him, while others focused on the sequence and its impact on the game.
After the ruling, Saints’ defense and offense continued to battle. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough led a resurgence from a 21-0 deficit, finishing 35-of-56 for 410 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. He tied the game late in regulation, but Detroit won 31-30 in overtime.
The outcome added to the controversy surrounding the reversal and provided an ironic moment given Fitzpatrick’s lighthearted online remark, which referenced reviewing all 169 of his own interceptions if such a broad review were possible for NFL rulings.
In the end, the play underscored how the timing of a quarterback’s throwing motion can influence whether a loose ball is treated as a fumble or a forward pass, a distinction that can dramatically alter the momentum and final result of a game.
