NFL GDT: 2018 NFC Championship Game: (1) New Orleans Saints vs (2) Los Angeles Rams

[izlez]

While I don't want an entire removal, I don't want more replay. These games already have no flow because you have to drop everything and look at a play or all the flags. If everything is going to be possible for review, we're going to start looking at 4-5 hour games.

I'm not even worried about the flow. It just takes the excitement out.

Just yesterday:
Julien Edelman muffs a punt for a huge turnover. I sit there emotionless because it was a close play and we're gonna need 5 minutes before we find out the true outcome.
Ginn catches a long bomb late in the game? Well, it's a game-defining play. We're gonna need to review the super slow mow to see if he really caught it. Why have any emotion in the moment?
Hogan catches a key first down late in the game? Looks like he might've bobbled it. Why get excited for the catch?

It's honestly ruining sports for me. God forbid they start allowing challenges for PI. Every single big play will go under video review. Might as well just check the box score, all emotion and excitement is taken away from watching a game.

 

[Duke33]

Actually it's the Rams undeserving as they pretty much did nothing for two and a half quarters. Not to mention the worst non call ever.

Indeed. I can't believe (actually I can, since these people are just mouthpieces for the league) how some radio clowns are blathering on about how the Saints had their chances in OT, didn't score a TD, didn't play defense, etc...when they completely ignore that if this obvious and blatant penalty (pass interference OR helmet to helmet targeting, take your pick) is called like it should have been, this game never goes to overtime.

The Saints even if they don't gain another yard could have ran the clock down to 11 or 12 seconds, kicked the FG and the Rams would need a mega-miracle to win. There's no argument or debate over what New Orleans did or didn't do after that point. Another point is getting screwed in such an enormous manner probably had the Saints all out of sorts mentally too...doesn't surprise me at all the Rams were able to move easily on them.

I get it, in every game there's probably 20 plays that coulda shoulda gone either way that could have changed the outcome. But the players at least control those. Having a blatant and dangerous penalty, one that directly decides the outcome be completely ignored by officials in a game to decide who plays for the league title is so ridiculous. And it won't be the last time, if the league's attitude is any indication.

Good luck setting up replays for this too...these idiots can't even get obvious replay situations called right half the time.

 

[Ivan13]

Change the world.

What a message for the Saints, “you guys we know we screwed you over, but this won’t happen in the future so all is good”.

 

[David Suzuki]

Indeed. I can't believe (actually I can, since these people are just mouthpieces for the league) how some radio clowns are blathering on about how the Saints had their chances in OT, didn't score a TD, didn't play defense, etc...when they completely ignore that if this obvious and blatant penalty (pass interference OR helmet to helmet targeting, take your pick) is called like it should have been, this game never goes to overtime.

Lol and if the obvious and blatant face mask on Goff is called the Rams get a first and goal with 4 minutes left. Not as simple as you're making it. Blaming the game on one bad call when you were up 13-0 at home against a supposed system QB is pathetic. Not sure what else is to be expected from a team led by Sean Payton, though.

 

[Newsworthy]

Perhaps what bothered me the most was the Rams hack of a CB (Robey-Coleman) and his dirty play in the first place.
What is this guy thinking?
Let's pretty much blatantly crash into the Saints RB.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

The non-call with 1:45 left was the worst one, but I honestly felt like the refs weren't calling some obvious PI penalties vs The Rams before that horrible non-call. It seemed like they made a decision to put the flags away, which I generally like but at a certain point you have to call penalties.

I think it is more or less inevitable now that penalties will be reviewable. I mean this is a disaster for the league. How you could not make that call is unthinkable. But it was a build up from other non-calls throughout the game.

I think having PI calls reviewable will take some adjustment and there will be some confusion, but ultimately it will end up clarifying exactly what you can or cannot do.

 

[GKJ]

Perhaps what bothered me the most was the Rams hack of a CB (Robey-Coleman) and his dirty play in the first place.
What is this guy thinking?
Let's pretty much blatantly crash into the Saints RB.

He was doing anything he had to to save a touchdown

 

[Duke33]

Lol and if the obvious and blatant face mask on Goff is called the Rams get a first and goal with 4 minutes left. Not as simple as you're making it. Blaming the game on one bad call when you were up 13-0 at home against a supposed system QB is pathetic. Not sure what else is to be expected from a team led by Sean Payton, though.

It's actually very simple. I can rattle off a few more non calls or calls in either game like yours. Say yours gets called. Yes it's first and goal with 4 minutes left. Doesn't decide the game though no matter what happens. Still lots of time.

The non PI call directly changed the game, no matter how people try to twist it. If called, even if NO doesn't gain another yard they run the clock down to practically zero and kick a chip shot. Completely different situation.

I'd also love to know where the league's safety narrative went. They change rules, preach about caring for defenseless players, etc. Then allow a ridiculously obvious helmet to helmet hit right in front of two officials. Way to back up the safety narrative guys!

Now an undeserving Rams team, a team that comically gets outdrawn in its own stadium despite being in a mega-market and having a talented team, gets to move on. The league made lots of strides this year after several bad ones, but the officiating has been a bad spot and was only made glaringly worse this past weekend.

 

[David Suzuki]

Now an undeserving Rams team

Lol alright we're done here. Comes back from 13-0 down in what I was told was an impossible stadium to win in and they're undeserving because of a bad call. Cheers. Enjoy the Super Bowl.

 

[Newsworthy]

He was doing anything he had to to save a touchdown

Missed call or not he should have been thrown out of the game and fined.
It was a pretty dangerous play. Could have caused a concussion or worse.

 

[Newsworthy]

Lol alright we're done here. Comes back from 13-0 down in what I was told was an impossible stadium to win in and they're undeserving because of a bad call. Cheers. Enjoy the Super Bowl.

Since that awful non call changed the outcome of the game enormously I would say yes.
The Rams deserve to lose. Bad coaching by Payton at the end wasn't as bad as the officiating.
Rams fans are happy to be in the big show but they know its undeserving. Some wins are well earned. Not this one and it will be talked about forever.
Big time controversy.

 

[GKJ]

Missed call or not he should have been thrown out of the game and fined.
It was a pretty dangerous play. Could have caused a concussion or worse.

Oh there was any number of fouls you could've called. If it wasn't for the fact the call was blown, there'd be more talk of him being suspended.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

The Saints blew this game. What was that garbage after the early pick? I think it was 3 runs? I was watching a college hoops game and I think I missed 2nd down but I recall them running on 1st and they ran on 3rd and long. I can't blame Arnold for not catching that TD the first drive. Fast forward to that last drive...BAD COACHING. Run the ball and you force them to call their timeouts. A TD would have won it for sure but a 3 point lead no timeouts, making them go the length of the field isn't a bad alternatiove.

Refs blow calls all the time. They blew a facemask on Goff on the previous drive. Was it a facemask? Yeah but I feel like the difference is you didm't notice it until they slowed down replay. Live I can see how they thought that it was maybe the chest area of the jersey. It wasn't agregious. The ;pass along the sidelines was like 3 different penalties but the most obvious of them all was TARGETING. The thing that pisses me off is they tout these rules but are inconsistent. All year that would have been called. They harp on the safety train but in that moment let it go. My problem isn't the no call it's the inconsistency. Now the Washington Compost says that they are exploring this offseason that PU can be reviewed. I already hate that every score and turnover is reviewed. It takes something out of the game and demeans the challenge idea.

It is nice to let them play in a big situation but I won't lie I HATE seeing them interview Colenan in the locker room and the media smiling as their stupid city of LA will be represented. Nevermind that Robey Coleman is an average defender at best. Media hype made him the star of the game. It was really the poor calling of Payton.

 

[Newsworthy]

Oh there was any number of fouls you could've called. If it wasn't for the fact the call was blown, there'd be more talk of him being suspended.

No excuses.
These refs are paid handsomely.
Very blatant for the entire world to see.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Have there been any statements from the league or the referees union (lol) clarifying that a mistake was made? Some acknowledgement that they went FUBAR on that play, would be nice.

That said, a few things: I know it's impossible to predict, but can DPI still be called even if the receiver had no chance of catching the ball? I don't see how the Saints receiver would've made that catch since the ball was thrown behind Robey-Coleman. Optically I know it's as clear as day he interfered, but what if there's no chance of a catch being made. Like if a ball is thrown ten feet overhead, could there still be a DPI called on the play? Just curious

Also, either way New Orleans fans shouldn't be placing the blame for their loss squarely on that botched call, easy as that might be. A lot went wrong before (and after) to give the Rams a fighting chance and the eventual W.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

J don't know if it was catchable, we'll never know but it was targeting which the league is so hardcore on now.

 

[EpochLink]

Bad call or not, the Saints had the ball to start overtime.
If they converted on a long TD drive, we would not be talking about the missed call.
Just a good defensive play by Los Angeles for the turnover, they got down the field for the best position to win.

We can lambast the call all we want, heck we are still talking about Gary Anderson's botched field goal from the 1998 NFC Championship all these years.

 

[Dr Black]

Pass interference should definitely be reviewable same with facemask penalties.

I'm on the fence with roughing the passer but I would also consider it.

The problem with challenging missed pass interference calls is that coaches will exploit this by challenging marginal non-calls in hopes that a slow-motion replay might reveal possible PI. This could open up a can of worms.

Besides, on this play, the refs could have and should have called an illegal hit to the head, unnecessary roughness in addition to pass interference. Just an inexcusable missed call all around.

 

[StreetHawk]

The non-call with 1:45 left was the worst one, but I honestly felt like the refs weren't calling some obvious PI penalties vs The Rams before that horrible non-call. It seemed like they made a decision to put the flags away, which I generally like but at a certain point you have to call penalties.

I think it is more or less inevitable now that penalties will be reviewable. I mean this is a disaster for the league. How you could not make that call is unthinkable. But it was a build up from other non-calls throughout the game.

I think having PI calls reviewable will take some adjustment and there will be some confusion, but ultimately it will end up clarifying exactly what you can or cannot do.

If you’re going to use replay to review penalties, it should be open for all calls. Can’t just be PI. Let’s be fair to the Defense too and call holding on the OL if it is missed.

Can add 1 extra challenge for each team. But, same as in regulation any review for a missed or bad call would be reviewed by the booth at the end of the half.

The hard part about defensive or offensive holding if the refs have been letting it go the entire game, how are they really going to overturn their decision on replay?

 

[m9]

Its too bad that this non-penalty took over as the story when it should be the absolutely dreadful play-calling by the Saints that led to that missed call. How do you not run the ball on first and second down? What are you trying to accomplish by passing? Then the go-to play is something to Tommy Lee Lewis?

I have no sympathy at all for poor coaching. Feel bad for the fans, but Payton is conveniently off the hook for botching that game.

 

[Halladay]

Its too bad that this non-penalty took over as the story when it should be the absolutely dreadful play-calling by the Saints that led to that missed call. How do you not run the ball on first and second down? What are you trying to accomplish by passing? Then the go-to play is something to Tommy Lee Lewis?

I have no sympathy at all for poor coaching. Feel bad for the fans, but Payton is conveniently off the hook for botching that game.

Yup, Payton coached that horribly. No other way around it.

 

[kovacro]

Look at that line judge waive the other official away. The check is in the mail, brother.

 

[StreetHawk]

Its too bad that this non-penalty took over as the story when it should be the absolutely dreadful play-calling by the Saints that led to that missed call. How do you not run the ball on first and second down? What are you trying to accomplish by passing? Then the go-to play is something to Tommy Lee Lewis?

I have no sympathy at all for poor coaching. Feel bad for the fans, but Payton is conveniently off the hook for botching that game.

Realistically, it's been building towards this for a while now. Refs are human and the game is so fast. Plus the technology is there with so many camera angles and high definition to help them out.

Really, up to the league if and when they decide to expand replay to review whether penalties should have been made or whether a flag should be picked up. Again, I would say that you can't hand pick which penalty situations get reviewed. It should be all or none. Can add it to the options that coaches have to review, but they should still have a limit of how many challenges they get. OK with keeping it at 2, but if they want to move that up, that's fine as well.

Again, it's the judgement of the officials. And if they are have not been calling something all game, if by the rules of the book it should have been a call, but they haven't been calling it all game, are the refs going to call it a penalty after review?

 

[Troy McClure]

While illegal, recognizing the WR was uncovered and getting there was pretty awesome.

 

[Troy McClure]