Instant Replay Is Called Into Action on Third Play of Browns-Bears Game
CHICAGO — It didn’t take long for the NFL’s use of the instant replay in the 1986 season to have an impact.
On the third play of the Chicago Bears-Cleveland Browns game Sunday, referee Ben Dreith ordered a view of the instant replay to determine whether Cleveland recovered a Bears’ fumble in the end zone.
The replay showed that safety Al Gross had possession of the fumble before leaving the end zone, giving Cleveland a touchdown. The official in charge of the replay, Nick Skorich, is a former Browns’ coach.
The misplay came when the snap went beyond quarterback Jim McMahon and the ball bounced off scrambling players into the end zone where Gross fell on it.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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