NFC Champioship Decided by Inept Referees

[CajunAmos]

Yes you can. You can't expect the breaks to continue to go your way every...single...time.

Like the two hits to the helmet and the PI earlier in the game that also weren't called?

[CajunAmos]

Officiating was awful both ways, blaming the game on that ignored the multiple facemasks, delay of game and PI's on the saints. Saints should have put it away early, didnt, and this is what happens when you let good teams hang around when you're getting the calls. Fwiw, rams had more bad calls or no calls go against them, while the saints had the most crucial. End of the day, officiating was awful, but I cant feel sympathy after the panthers were hosed by a bad call against the saints in the playoffs last year.

And the multiple targeting, PI, and others against the Rams that weren't called?

[CajunAmos]

Absolutely terrible no-call and people should be fired. There is not even a kind of legitimate argument against that.

But if Payton just runs the ball three times, and forces the Rams to use their timeouts then kicks the field goal, they would have had a much much much better chance to overcome the epically bad no call (x2, don't forget the helmet to helmet on the same play). That was some ____ poor time management by a guy who should know better.

I agree, but you still would have had over a minute left to get in FG range. The no call was a game over call for the Rams without question. Can you imagine if it was Tom Brady and not Drew Brees.

[CharlieK]

I agree, but you still would have had over a minute left to get in FG range. The no call was a game over call for the Rams without question. Can you imagine if it was Tom Brady and not Drew Brees.

Not disputing the epic craptitude of the no-call.

[TuffGuy84]

And the multiple targeting, PI, and others against the Rams that weren't called?

I agree with that, you're right, and that wasnt really my point, just pointing out the saints benefitted from a bunch of bad calls as well and as an outsider, appeared to be slightly more in volume, where as the biggest was the one that killed the saints. I do still say, had the saints cashed in on those mistakes and calls early and not settled for field goals, that play doesnt matter.

[CajunT]

I agree with that, you're right, and that wasnt really my point, just pointing out the saints benefitted from a bunch of bad calls as well and as an outsider, appeared to be slightly more in volume, where as the biggest was the one that killed the saints. I do still say, had the saints cashed in on those mistakes and calls early and not settled for field goals, that play doesnt matter.

I think we can criticize Peyton's play calling and game management, especially at the regulation. That being said, had at least one of the two penalties been called on the Coleman hit that game would have been over in regulation and there would not have been overtime. The official could have called pass inference or helmet-to-helmet contact, he called neither and it isn't reviewed the last 2 minutes of the game. That is inexcusable!

[zephyr]

Yes you can. You can't expect the breaks to continue to go your way every...single...time.

Its not a break. Its a blown call with 2 minutes left in the game. Its an obvious omission. The league is trying to protect players and its brand with new safety measures but still can't even protect the integrity of the game by making sure this doesn't happen. And if you think everything goes the Saints way EVERY time, you are in no better a position to make your argument than anyone else.

[CharlieK]

I think we can criticize Peyton's play calling and game management, especially at the regulation. That being said, had at least one of the two penalties been called on the Coleman hit that game would have been over in regulation and there would not have been overtime. The official could have called pass inference or helmet-to-helmet contact, he called neither and it isn't reviewed the last 2 minutes of the game. That is inexcusable!

No doubt, but you should ALWAYS control the things you have control over. Payton didn't do that. He can't control the refs but he can control his clock management, and it was terrible on that series.

[CrazyCajun]

No doubt, but you should ALWAYS control the things you have control over. Payton didn't do that. He can't control the refs but he can control his clock management, and it was terrible on that series.

Totally agree and the NFL should control what they can control and start with holding the officials accountable. That ref should be suspended without pay, not receive his pay for that game and not be eligible for postseason games in the future. If they aren’t reprimanded there is nothing to discourage it in the future. Saints still had their chances. They fine players all the time to discourage behavior they deem unacceptable, start hitting the refs where it hurts, their pocket.

[CajunVic]

Totally agree and the NFL should control what they can control and start with holding the officials accountable. That ref should be suspended without pay, not receive his pay for that game and not be eligible for postseason games in the future. If they aren’t reprimanded there is nothing to discourage it in the future. Saints still had their chances. They fine players all the time to discourage behavior they deem unacceptable, start hitting the refs where it hurts, their pocket.

So you going to fine this guy $500? In the zero's game, that would be the commensurate fine to those levied against players.