Saints get robbed again by the officials in Rams game
The New Orleans Saints were looking for payback on the L.A. Rams at the Coliseum on Sunday, but the refs got in their way again
Just when the New Orleans Saints were preparing to move past last year’s pass interference debacle and get revenge on the Los Angeles Rams, the referees cost them again on Sunday.
The Saints are playing the Rams for the first time since the NFC Championship game last season, this time in Los Angeles at the Coliseum. That game, a Rams overtime victory, was marred by a missed pass interference penalty on Nickell Robey-Coleman that cost New Orleans a trip to the Super Bowl and changed the NFL rulebook to allow replay reviews of interference calls.
The Saints must be having a case of deja vu because a controversial decision might cost them the game on Sunday too. With six minutes left in the second quarter and the game tied 3-3, the Rams faced a third-and-seven from the Saints 11-yard line. As quarterback Jared Goff dropped back to pass, he was hit by Trey Hendrickson and lost control of the ball. Cameron Jordan picked it up for the Saints and ran back 86 yards for a touchdown.
WE ALMOST HAD A BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN. How did they blow that dead?! #Saints pic.twitter.com/cxBi2GgTXD
— Roto Street Journal (@RotoStJournal) September 15, 2019
Referee Walt Anderson, though, had already ruled the play dead as an incomplete pass. A replay review showed that Goff clearly fumbled the ball before his arm was moving forward. The Saints were awarded the ball, but Jordan’s touchdown and six pivotal points were taken off the board. Head coach Sean Payton kept his cool this time, but he and the rest of his team have to be wondering why this keeps happening to them.
The usual practice for referees on plays like this is to rule it a fumble, knowing that as a turnover it would automatically be reviewed and can always be changed to an incompletion. Anderson and his crew didn’t do that, and it could come back to cost the Saints dearly.
Next. Drew Brees exits Saints game with wrist injury. dark
The Saints could use all the defensive points they could get after quarterback Drew Brees was forced to leave the game with a wrist injury. He was replaced by Teddy Bridgewater. The Rams currently lead 6-3 at halftime.