Zach Miller catches touchdown, suffers gruesome injury, has his catch (dubiously) overturned

In the third quarter of the Bears’ game against the Saints on Sunday, Chicago tight end Zach Miller made an impressive catch in the end zone, as his leg buckled beneath him.

Miller was forced to leave the game with what could be a serious injury, but at least he scored his team a touchdown… or not.

Refs reviewed the play and ruled that the ball had come loose as Miller went to the ground, resulting in an incomplete pass. On replay, it sure looked as if Miller kept his arm under the ball, maintaining possession even as he suffered from the effects of the injury. By the time he released the ball, he seemed to have fully completed the catch.

Here's the Zach Miller TD/Non TD awful call and gruesome leg injury to boot. #Bears @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/fKtB8fAdZp

— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) October 29, 2017

Here is the “incomplete pass” in GIF form.

Zach Miller should get credit for the TD just for holding on through this injuryhttps://t.co/XvQ7XM4FIl

— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) October 29, 2017

Even Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino felt pretty strongly that Miller and the Bears should have been awarded a touchdown.

Here’s Dean Blandino on the call getting overturned. #bears pic.twitter.com/pOWDWU9tyP

— Brian Sandalow (@BrianSandalow) October 29, 2017

But no matter how impressive the catch looked, how difficult it must have been to maintain possession mid-injury and how inconclusive the replay appeared, the refs’ word is final, so Miller wound up with a gruesome injury but no touchdown to show for it.

The call, especially in wake of Miller’s injury, received pretty universal criticism.

How is that not a touchdown for Zach Miller? It's unbelievable. No one has any idea what a TD is. Called inconsistently every game. Unreal

— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) October 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/FakePaceGM/status/924713629764739079

Worst call ever. That was clearly a TD by Zach Miller. The refs in NOLA drank too many hurricanes and hand grenades.

— Kevin Holmes (@kholmesKSHB) October 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/kpatra/status/924711747231125504

https://twitter.com/JB_Long/status/924712623152676864

Wow!! They took away that mans TD after holding on to it while getting injured???? #NEWLOW 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

— Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) October 29, 2017

Yes Golden Tate, ? indeed.