Payton: NFL admits they blew the call, costing Saints possible Super Bowl

4 WWL ^ | 1/20/19 | WWL Staff

[OddLane]

A crucial non-interference, non-helmet-to-helmet call cost the Saints a spot in the Super Bowl and provided a crushing loss to end the season for a second straight year as the Rams won with a field goal in overtime 26-23.

After the game, Saints head coach Sean Payton said the NFL head of officials admitted they had missed the call, saying that it was not only pass interference, but a helmet to helmet hit. If the call had been made, the Saints could have killed the clock and tried a chip shot field goal...

[VRWCarea51]

Because if they did that, Goodell wouldn’t be able to tilt the table...

[dfwgator]

This was more than just a bad call. It literally decided the game.

The Saints had a 99.9% chance of winning if they got that call. It could have either been the Pass Interference, or the Personal Foul for the helmet-to-helmet hit.

[Mr.Unique]

Love Bill Burr.

[Conserv]

The completed pass would have given the Saints a first down, so then all they had to do was run out the clock.

The game was stolen from them.

[truthluva]

Exactly. The Saints were playing for a two possession lead. That is what every NFL coach would be doing in that position. A touchdown guaranteed a win. At best, a completion on that play lets the Saints run the clock down under 60 seconds after a chip shot field goal. That forces the Rams to score a touchdown in less than 60 seconds. Much harder to do than a field goal to tie.

The Saints just got thumped by the officials, not the Rams!

I don’t care who wins the AFC now. I hope whoever it is they BEAT THE RAMS!

[dfwgator]

And it almost looks like the defender deliberately did it thinking that if he didn’t that the Saints would have at least gotten the first down. I bet he was just as shocked as anyone that he wasn’t called for interference.

[dynachrome]

“NFL wanted the Rams in the Super Bowl to try to fill the stadiums in LA”

My dad said the same thing!

[montag813]

Wasn’t it the Saints who lost to Minnesota on a freak play in the playoffs a couple of years ago?

Yes, and they also benefited from a non-call of a blatant defensive penalty against Brett Favre's Minnesota to win their first NFC championship years ago

[OddLane]

He's hilarious.

[pepsi_junkie]

When that Saint made a ridiculous circus catch right before the 2 minute warning to extend the drive and put the Saints on first down from the Rams 13 in a tied game, I told my daughter "if the game is fixed, that play wasnt supposed to happen but they can't prevent athletes not in on it from making miracle plays so look for them to find a way to bail out the Rams by either having the Saints make some really bizarrely stupid decisions or the officials to make some terrible calls that help the Rams. Let's see if it's fixed". First step was to find a way to preserve the clock because the Rams wasted a time out stupidly and couldn't do it themselves.

So of course Payton mysteriously chose to throw the ball on first down, incomplete and stopped the clock. Then he called a really short pass, then you got the horrible pass interference, clock stops again. Saints basically took a field goal but took no time off the clock. Rams get ball, a couple of big plays later plus a questionable call or two, field goal for the tie and OT.

I guess I know the answer now.

[Midnitethecat]

Thank you.

[david1292]

Any official can make the call. But they are all not watching every part of the field. Each official has certain areas and certain things to look for. So some likely never saw the play.

In this situation, the back judge and the field judge would have been the two most responsible for this. There is also the side judge back there but he’s on the other side of the field.

So to answer your question..likely two officials missed the call.

[1FreeAmerican]

So why click the thread and comment?

[dznutz]

First mistake is expecting honesty, fairness, and integrity, from an institution such as the NFL.

[Conserv]

Yeah. Why watch all season when your team can be so easily robbed.

[grey_whiskers]

I wouldn’t mind. Since Detroit doesn’t have a team that plays pro football I only watch the division champion and SB. /S,

Couldn't resist...

[stylin19a]

can any ref make that call ? The ref in the backfield is lookin right at it.

[OddLane]

Don’t mention it.

[dragnet2]

For the Rams, this game was like the past California election. No matter what, a Democrat was going to win.

[OddLane]

This is something else that goes unremarked upon, but Sean Payton-for all his accolades-is a terrible play caller.