NFL being sued over bad call in Rams-Saints game

[DawnStorm]

In a Hail Mary move, a New Orleans attorney filed a lawsuit Tuesday to get the NFL to address a blown pass-interference call at the end of the NFC Championship game in which the Saints lost to the LA Rams.

https://nypost.com/2019/01/22/nfl-su...pionship-game/

[GenYus234]

Then again, the rule is there for a reason; if ever it would be invoked, wouldn’t now be the time to do it?

I assume the time to do it, IE, the reason the rule in there, is for malfeasance type of issues. IE, it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that one of the referees accepted a bribe from a Rams official or someone else to make the Saints lose.

[E. Q. Taft]

Agreed. I don't think a blown call is reason enough, or they would have had to reverse a LOT of games. This may be a particularly egregious example of one, but there have plenty of others that probably determined a game's outcome.

[UEL]

Originally Posted by E. Q. Taft

Agreed. I don't think a blown call is reason enough, or they would have had to reverse a LOT of games. This may be a particularly egregious example of one, but there have plenty of others that probably determined a game's outcome.

You are right in the fact that there are plenty of others. But most blown calls are understandable in how the official made the call. It may have been bad angle, blocked view, a questionable judgement, miscommunication, or inattention. This is the result of human nature and limitations. I referee junior football, and I'm rather junior, so, I have my viewpoint from the sidelines as either Line Judge or Head Linesman. I've made wrong calls. I've missed calls. I've made calls that the Head Referee has reversed. But, I can put my hand on my heart and say that I made the call as I saw them.

This was not a questionable call. Unless the Line Judge or Head Linesman was looking at something completely different altogether, they blew a call that was cut and dry.

But, your point is valid. If they do it for this one, the floodgates may very well be opened for the Line Judge who places the ball in a spot that appears questionable to have the game result reviewed.

[DawnStorm]

Wonder if there will be a decrease in the Super Bowl ratings because of this? Probably not.

[iskinner]

Originally Posted by DawnStorm

Wonder if there will be a decrease in the Super Bowl ratings because of this? Probably not.

Just as likely, if not more so, the controversy will lead to an increase, just by being talked about so much.

[DawnStorm]

One of my co-workers has said that he refuses to watch the Super Bowl. I suggested that he watch the Puppy Bowl instead. That's the only Bowl game DH and I watch.

[erwins]

Ugh. This article about sums it up for me:. https://www.forbes.com/sites/terence...t-over-it/amp/

I hate how a bad call (or non-call), which IMO happen in every game, always gets blown up into "The Call That Cost Them The Game!" in the postseason. Bad calls are part of the game. The Saints had bad clock management, got a bad call, still took a 3-point lead with less than a minute left, and got away with a facemask against Goff, all in the last minutes of the game. (So, ignoring the earlier leads they blew). Then, when they escape regulation with a tie instead of a loss (due in part to the facemask non-call) and they get the ball first in OT, they turn the ball over and lose the game.

Could the call have made a difference? Of course. But so could a hundred other things. The Saints cost the Saints that game. I really hope they don't make PI reviewable now.

[ASL]

Yes. Here's an illustrative meme that highlgihts the (non-)issue.

[E. Q. Taft]

Hey, here in San Diego we're still bitter about Ed Hochuli's call in 2008 which (we believe) cost the Chargers a playoff berth. You can judge the frustration by the fact that, 10 years later, he's still the only NFL referee I can actually name. (But I can remember seeing calls that were 'blown' to the Charger's advantage from time to time, and for some reason those don't bother me very much...)

[Ali Infree]

As a Steeler fan, I always wondered what would have happened with the Immaculate Reception with replay. There were two potential issues: that the pass bounced off a Steeler and not Jack Tatum of the Raiders which, with the rules of the day, would have meant an incomplete pass. The second was whether Franco Harris caught the ball before it hit the turf.
I think it hit Jack Tatum and that Franco made a shoestring catch, of course. And I have never seen film evidence that strongly indicated anything else.

This controversy reminds me of the times in which we are living (in the US), where evidence can be presented, but ignored, by true believers in one side or the other...

BTW I agree with Erwins, the Saints had chances to win the game, but didn't. New England never gave the ball back in their OT win, much as I dislike Belichek and Brady.

Ali

[DawnStorm]

Well it's up to the court now.