Based on my extensive understanding of the NFL rulebook, an NFL play is non-reviewable 99.9 percent of the time after another the ball has been snapped on an ensuing play. However, two days after Peyton Manning eclipsed Drew Brees' single-season passing record by one yard before sitting out the second half, the NFL is reviewing the legitimacy of the passing yardage record he broke in the first half of a game that ended two days ago. Well, it's not the NFL responsible. Those statistical junkies at Elias Sports Bureau are tasked with making statistical corrections and they believe they've caught a statistical error. The play they are analyzing was a seven-yard completion which took place with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter.
Via ESPN:
In one camera angle, the pass to Decker looks like a lateral, which would make it a running play. Another angle, from above, shows Decker receiving the ball at the Broncos' 48-yard line, with Manning slightly deeper than that.
If the play stands, Manning would keep the record. If it is eventually ruled a run, he would be credited with 259 yards Sunday and 5,470 this season. The 5,470 would be the second-highest season total in league history and still easily be Manning's career best.
In recent weeks, Manning has said the touchdown record was more significant because it represented the result of an offense scoring points as it tried to win games. Even Sunday, after he'd set the yardage record, he replied to a question about that mark with: "I don't really have much to say about it, to tell you the truth."
Certainly looks like a lateral though.
