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Failed fourth-down play in 49ers-Seahawks shows importance of digital mapping

During Sunday's contest in Seattle, a critical fourth-down sequence highlighted the challenges of officiating tight sideline plays without advanced technology. Quarterback Sam Darnold connected with receiver Cooper Kupp on a pass near the fifty-yard line, where Kupp dove toward the boundary to secure a first down.

Mark Butterworth, the NFL vice president of instant replay, noted that the ruling on the field could not be overturned because the established review standard requires clear and obvious evidence. league officials currently track manually spotted balls relative to the line-to-gain, but they do not yet utilize internal ball-tracking technology like the system used during the World Cup for offside calls.

Enhanced digital mapping would have allowed referees to precisely track the ball's position relative to the sideline plane and first-down marker, potentially resolving whether the drive remained alive.

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