Patriots coach says overturned TD on 'toe-heel' rule was correct call - ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — If not for the «toe-heel» rule, the New England Patriots might have had their second win of the season Sunday.

Instead, they lost 15-10 to the visiting Miami Dolphins after rookie receiver Ja'Lynn Polk's 12-yard touchdown catch with 1:08 remaining was overturned after instant-replay review.

Polk leaped in the air under the goal posts to corral a pass from quarterback Jacoby Brissett, with his momentum carrying him toward the end line. Polk's left foot came down in the end zone, as did his right toe, but his right heel landed out of bounds.

«The rule that was applied was the 'toe-heel' rule,» NFL vice president of officiating George Stewart said in a pool report. «What happened was he did have one foot down in the field of play, and at the completion of the second step, he had his toe in the field of play, but his heel came down on the white line out of bounds. So, he did not have two feet in bounds at the conclusion of the catch.»

Asked what elements of the play were critical in overturning the original call, Stewart said: «He did not have two feet in the field of play. It was a toe-heel. It wasn't a drag. It was a toe-heel that caused this to be an incomplete pass.»

Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo agreed with the officials.

«It was close, but it was the correct call in my opinion,» Mayo said.

The Patriots had two more plays after the overturned call to potentially score. Then after the defense stopped the Dolphins to give the Patriots the ball back at their own 43-yard line with 29 seconds remaining and no timeouts, a final desperation drive ended at the Dolphins' 11-yard line.

Polk, a second-round pick from Washington, lamented that the Patriots were in that position because the offense was