The New Orlean Saints suffered a tough loss. Their last game of the season ended with a crucial call that cost them the game. Officials didn't call a pass interference foul on the Rams cornerback. Nickell Robey-Coleman (cornerback for Rams) had a bloodthirst run through on Tommylee Lewis.
Lewis was within the 10-yard line when Robey-Coleman came through with illegal contact that saved the game for the Los Angels Rams along with the help of the NFL officials.
The worst missed call in NFL history cost them their chance to get into Super Bowl LIII. It is evident that you don't have to be a Saints fan to feel unsettled about this decision. This is an NFL playoff game officiating nightmare.
I can't even begin to feel how the Saints must have felt going into the locker room after this game. To lose a game is one thing but to lose to such a flagrant call makes it that much worse.
You could say that Sean Payton was the least bit amused stating that the team "will never get over it." Later Alberto Riveron, head of NFL officials gave Payton a call admitting that they had made a mistake. Although Payton was furious on how the game turned out he pulled himself together to explain that it is a hard job for officials since everything is happening so fast he ended with "it's just hard to swallow."
Robey-Coleman was recently fined $27k due to his hit against Lewis. Although Robey-Coleman is prepared to pay the fine it's really not all his fault. When he reviewed the pay he agreed that it should have been a pass interference call. He's not the one that didn't make the call that's on the officials, he was just playing the game.
From here on forward I agree that all pass interference calls should be subject to instant replay review.
Although the Saints had a lot of opportunities throughout the game it comes down to the little things, the NFL needs to be more proactive not reactive, this was a mistake.
The Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots will kick off the Super Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Sunday. The game will be aired on CBS, tune in to one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
