via Fox/NFL
- The Los Angeles Rams beat the New Orleans Saints, 26-23, in overtime in the NFC Championship with the help of a huge missed call by the referees.
- With 1:48 left in the game, on 3rd-and-10 from the Rams' 13-yard line, with the score tied, Drew Brees threw a pass to the sidelines to Tommylee Lewis, who was hit by Rams' defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman in midair before he could get to the ball.
- The play looked like obvious pass interference, but the referees did not call it.
- The Saints had to settle for a field goal, then the Rams tied the game to send it to overtime. They won with a field goal in overtime.
- Some if the NFL world called it the worst missed call of the season.
The Los Angeles Rams beat the New Orleans Saints, 26-23, in overtime, on Sunday in the NFC Championship to advance to the Super Bowl.
However, the talk of the game will be dominated by a huge missed call by the referees late in the fourth quarter that had a huge impact on the game.
With 1:48 left in the game, tied at 20, Drew Brees had the Saints on the Rams' 13-yard line, looking to score. Brees threw a short pass to the sidelines to wide receiver Tommylee Lewis, when Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman came flying in, knocking Lewis off his feet in mid-air, as the ball went out of bounds.
It looked like pass interference, which would have set the Saints up with 1st-and-goal, but the referees did not throw a flag.
Here was the play:
Basically the entire NFL world was outraged by the non-call:
Both Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, calling the game for Fox, said they thought there should have been a flag on the play.
The Saints settled for a field goal to make it 23-20. The Rams then drove to get into field goal range and kicked a field goal to tie it.
In overtime, Drew Brees threw an interception on the opening drive, and the Rams again went down the field to kick the game-winning field goal.
Through the Rams' final drive of regulation, Saints head coach Sean Payton followed the referees, yelling at them for not making the call.
Of course, plenty of other decisions had impacts on the game. Before the missed call, the Saints had thrown two incompletions, leading to some criticism of Payton's clock management to end the game. Brees' pick, which came as he was hit, also all but sealed the game for the Rams.
However, with the Super Bowl on the line, the NFL now has another officiating controversy on its hands.
- Read more:
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- Football fans love to think that they know what constitutes a 'catch' in the NFL - almost all of them are wrong
- WHERE ARE THEY NOW? All of the picks in the massive trade that helped the Rams land Jared Goff
Worst no-call of 2018 season.
- Peter King (@peter_king) January 20, 2019
This game should be over. Abominable no-call.
- Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 20, 2019
I have no idea how that was not a penalty on the incompletion. What on Earth were they watching?
- Judy Battista (@judybattista) January 20, 2019
Amazingly bad call. Embarrassingly bad. https://t.co/yAUSbbePyo
- ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 20, 2019
That is a terrible no call. The officials don't want to make calls at the end of playoff games but that pass interference has to be called.
- Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 20, 2019
That honestly might've been both pass interference AND the helmet rule.
- Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 20, 2019