Troy Polamalu's slapping of the ball into the end zone at the end of the team's victory over New England on Sunday was against an NFL rule. The league rule states that you may not bat or punch a loose ball in the field of play toward the opponent's goal line; a loose ball that has touched the ground in any direction, if it is in either end zone; or a backward pass in flight, which can't be batted forward by an offensive player. Polamalu slid after Tom Brady's fumble in the final moments of the game and slapped it into the end zone. The ball slid through the end zone for a safety, making the final score 25-17 for the Steelers.