It’s not balanced but on balance it is worth it. It’s ridiculous to have this level of officiating in a CCG. The League has to do better.It's awesome. They aren't addressing any of the missed calls that hurt the Rams. It's just that one play. And only that one play.
Have they announced the SB crew yet? I thought the LAC-NE div game had the best officiating I've seen all year.It’s not balanced but on balance it is worth it. It’s ridiculous to have this level of officiating in a CCG. The League has to do better.
I think so but forget who it is.Have they announced the SB crew yet? I thought the LAC-NE div game had the best officiating I've seen all year.
Looks like it's John Parry, who did the Rams-Cowboys game last week. He also did the Steelers win over the Pats earlier this year and Super Bowl 46.I think so but forget who it is.
No team plays a perfect game. You can always point to “hey, you should have done X better”. But the bottom line is that the refs missed the most obvious DPI in the history of NFL playoffs and it completely changed the outcome. In the moment, I agree that Payton needed to focus and put it behind him. However, now that he can reflect on it, they got absolutely jobbed. You spend your entire year being consumed by the sport and then in the biggest moment, ref incompetence takes the W away. That has to be incredibly difficult to take, especially when your QB is like 100 years old.Football Zebras' take: http://www.footballzebras.com/2019/01/saints-unable-to-run-clock-after-no-call-pass-interference/
Payton needs to man up and move on from this. none of this happens if he runs 3 times and makes Goff try to get into FG range with a minute left and no TO.... I don t think he could have done. Or Brees plays well in the 2nd half. etc.
Here’s why:League lawyers got involved. They always do:
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/01/20/nfl-decides-against-issuing-statement-admitting-error-in-rams-saints-for-now/
As opposed to Tyreek Hill being one of the prominent players on a SB team?Payton partially put himself into that position by not running down the clock.
to compare, the Pats were screwed on non-call on a pick play, Bill threw his tablet in disgust on the sideline. didn't change our focus.
this sucks all around. this might be an ugly run-up to the SB for the NFL
I think let each team have one special challenge a game for penalties. Make them state which penalty to review as well.The best answer may be what BB suggested a few years back and making all plays reviewable.
Awful penalty, challenge it and get it right.
But in this case, no penalty was called. Challenging a play where there was no flag could open up an entirely different can of wormsI think let each team have one special challenge a game for penalties. Make them state which penalty to review as well.
Agreed. NFL would never go for this. The best solution is to get your officiating staff to make a call that a 7 year-old could make.But in this case, no penalty was called. Challenging a play where there was no flag could open up an entirely different can of worms
The Tuck Rule game is a good comparison, In this case, the Saints got the ball to start OT and Brees threw a pick. That is being completely ignored in all of the post game analysis. The narrative is the Saints were robbed of a trip to the SB by this call and no amount of blame is going to Payton/Brees.The Saints sounded absurdly mentally weak. Sportscenter just said that they felt they already lost and couldn't concentrate in OT. Like the Raiders except the Tuck Rule was correctly interpreted.
It's amazing all of the discussion wasted on Brady and a decline this year and no one has made any mention of Brees. The last month or so he has not been good at all and could not push the ball downfield.As big a missed call as that was the game should have been a blowout. It amazes me that this missed call is taking all the heat off Brees, who was garbage for the majority of that game.
There is no question that the Saints had absolute control of this game and let it slip away. Of course, it is also unquestionably true that they (likely) had the game taken from them by an utterly botched call.The Tuck Rule game is a good comparison, In this case, the Saints got the ball to start OT and Brees threw a pick. That is being completely ignored in all of the post game analysis. The narrative is the Saints were robbed of a trip to the SB by this call and no amount of blame is going to Payton/Brees.
Sky is also blue.If that non-call hurt the Patriots, this board would implode.
But a case could be made the Saints were in that position specifically because the refs missed a facemask call on Goff. If that was called, I assume the Rams would have scored a TD and not kicked a FG. That changes everything.There is no question that the Saints had absolute control of this game and let it slip away. Of course, it is also unquestionably true that they (likely) had the game taken from them by an utterly botched call.
It’s not an either/or situation.
Brees was bad for the last quarter of the season. Their defense carried them to the NFCCG.As big a missed call as that was the game should have been a blowout. It amazes me that this missed call is taking all the heat off Brees, who was garbage for the majority of that game.
Excellent post. NFL officiating is poor. It's inconsistent. It's frustrating but teams have to put it behind them and overcome it. Not fair but unfortunately it's been that way for years.But a case could be made the Saints were in that position specifically because the refs missed a facemask call on Goff. If that was called, I assume the Rams would have scored a TD and not kicked a FG. That changes everything.
The Saints had 15 ways to win this game with good play. They got screwed on one other play. So there is plenty of blame to go around, starting with the horrendous play calls before the PI that was not called.
The Patriots got hosed on a bunch of calls and the Chiefs got hosed on that Brady roughing the passer. Teams play on, despite referee incompetence. Some teams implode. The Saints imploded, despite the fact that they had PLENTY of chances to win the game after the horrific non call.
To point to that one call as the reason the Saints lost is to ignore everything else.
One thing I am not hearing much about was that terrible pass by Brees on first down on the series that led to the non PI call. Thomas was open and he was in the middle of the field, so a catch there burns either a time out or 40 seconds on the clock. Instead Brees absolutely choked on that pass and threw it at Thomas' feet. Incomplete. Clock stops. I repeat, CLOCK STOPS.If I'm a Saints fan, I'm hoping word of injury comes out this week. Otherwise you're concerned Brees had a tired arm.
Excellent post. NFL officiating is poor. It's inconsistent. It's frustrating but teams have to put it behind them and overcome it. Not fair but unfortunately it's been that way for years.
I'm in the minority but I think there were several worse calls/ non-calls just this weekend. From the end zone angle, it looks brutal but from other angles, he's early but it is a lot closer.
Still a miss call that really should be obvious. I'm not arguing that.
Let's see if this makes the NFL take a better look at its officiating
Tired arm would be a bad sign, as he got Week 17 off and the Saints had a bye.If I'm a Saints fan, I'm hoping word of injury comes out this week. Otherwise you're concerned Brees had a tired arm.
I don't have an issue with the playcall. Rams' entire D was within five-six yards of the LOS, and only two guys on the side of the slant. Thomas' guy was picked off, Ginn was in position to block his own guy, and there was no safety help deep. That might be a TD with a good throw. Or maybe Thomas gets the first and takes a dive and the Saints just run it into the line a couple times and kick the FG.One thing I am not hearing much about was that terrible pass by Brees on first down on the series that led to the non PI call. Thomas was open and he was in the middle of the field, so a catch there burns either a time out or 40 seconds on the clock. Instead Brees absolutely choked on that pass and threw it at Thomas' feet. Incomplete. Clock stops. I repeat, CLOCK STOPS.
Mistakes were made. Ok, I'm gong to go further. If the Saints do the smart thing on that drive, they run Kamara three times. It would have burned all of the Rams time outs, plus an extra 50 seconds. So the Rams would have gotten the ball back with 40 seconds and no time outs, not 1:41 and one time out. At best, because Kamara could have gotten the first down. 40 seconds and no time outs is a much much bigger hill to climb, on the road, for a 24 year old QB.
That's humongous. Payton can cry all he wants about the refs but fuck him. He made multiple play calls that were horrendous, which there is no excuse for. At that point, the key was the clock and the time outs, not yards. Payton played for yards and blew it. Brees also absolutely blew it on that first down pass. So despite the stupid play call, which is on Payton, Brees choked, which is on him.
Look in the mirror Sean.
I don't either. But it was a playcall that left the possibility the Rams wouldn't have to use a TO. So it was a risk and at that position in the game, it was a huge risk. Three runs and the game is probably over because either Kamara gets the first down or they burn almost all of the clock. Of course, Payton would have probably Ingram, who wouldn't have gone anywhere, because Payton is the smartest guy in the room. Except when he's not.I don't have an issue with the playcall. Rams' entire D was within five-six yards of the LOS, and only two guys on the side of the slant. Thomas' guy was picked off, Ginn was in position to block his own guy, and there was no safety help deep. That might be a TD with a good throw. Or maybe Thomas gets the first and takes a dive and the Saints just run it into the line a couple times and kick the FG.
He already is. Taysom Hill, come on down!And it may be time to start developing the next QB after Brees.
They need to somehow clean up the PI calls. Maybe simplify the rule so that fans and officials are both clear and on the same page about it.But in this case, no penalty was called. Challenging a play where there was no flag could open up an entirely different can of worms
I've been saying this for two days now. The Saints got screwed on one call, no doubt. But they benefitted from other calls. And if they just ran the ball three times, the Rams would have had 25 seconds at most. Or the Saints could have kicked with 3 seconds left if they got the first.Run the ball three times dummy. There’s a fair chance you get the first down to end the game or worst case, the Rams have very little time and no time outs to tie it up. That horrible call is covering up some really bad decision making.
I’ll never understand that first down call by Payton after the Ginn bomb. The Rams had 2 timeouts left and it was under the 2 min warning. You run it 3 times, bleed the clock, and give the ball back with under a minute to go. Instead, the Rams started their drive with 1:41 and 1 timeout. That was absolutely coaching malpractice. The non call was terrible but it never should have gotten to that point.I've been saying this for two days now. The Saints got screwed on one call, no doubt. But they benefitted from other calls. And if they just ran the ball three times, the Rams would have had 25 seconds at most. Or the Saints could have kicked with 3 seconds left if they got the first.
Finally, and this needs to be repeated, the Saints got the ball in overtime. They had a chance and they blew it.
And despite the fact that it did get to that point, the Saints, in their extremely loud dome, couldn't stop a 24 year old quarterback from driving into FG range.I’ll never understand that first down call by Payton after the Ginn bomb. The Rams had 2 timeouts left and it was under the 2 min warning. You run it 3 times, bleed the clock, and give the ball back with under a minute to go. Instead, the Rams started their drive with 1:41 and 1 timeout. That was absolutely coaching malpractice. The non call was terrible but it never should have gotten to that point.
Lingering worked so well for the Falcons.again, Bill would NEVER let this linger for a second, no matter how bad the call was.
Yup. I could easily see a hangover next year for them. Also worth mentioning on the OT INT play is that Michael Thomas decided to complain to the ref about Johnson's contact instead of playing defense on the throw.And despite the fact that it did get to that point, the Saints, in their extremely loud dome, couldn't stop a 24 year old quarterback from driving into FG range.
And then even after that, the Saints got the ball in OT. All the complaints you hear about Tom Brady in OT is that he's never given a chance to the other team. They say that is unfair. Well Brees could have done the same thing, and he threw an INT, at home, in his comfortable dome.
There's plenty of blame to go around, and the ref blew it, but the Saints are acting like that is the sole reason they lost. That statement by the owner was laughable. She really poured it on.
Is the rule complicated? I think it's pretty straight forward. There is some judgement in that it includes the phrase "significantly hinders". But I don't think they want to get rid of that and include all contact since many complaints are that some call it too strict.They need to somehow clean up the PI calls. Maybe simplify the rule so that fans and officials are both clear and on the same page about it.
Still wouldn't solve what happened yesterday, which was gross incompetence...
Wouldn't surprise me. At least Brees did say they had plenty of opportunities to win the game and didn't make the plays.Yup. I could easily see a hangover next year for them. Also worth mentioning on the OT INT play is that Michael Thomas decided to complain to the ref about Johnson's contact instead of playing defense on the throw.