NFL Commish Roger Goodell Has the Power to Send the Saints to the Super Bowl Over the Blown Call . . . But He Won't

[admin]

There is an obscure rule on the books that would give NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell the power to change the outcome of the Rams / Saints game and send New Orleans to the Super Bowl, over the botched pass interference call.

 

 

Rule 17, Section 2, Article 1 says:  "The Commissioner has the sole authority to investigate and take . . . corrective measures . . . [if any] calamity occurs in an NFL game, which the Commissioner deems so extraordinarily unfair or outside the accepted tactics . . . that such action has a major effect on the result of the game."

 

 

Article 3 adds, "The Commissioner's powers include:  The reversal of a game's result, or the rescheduling of a game, either from the beginning, or from the point at which the extraordinary act occurred."

 

 

Of course, this isn't happening, even though Saints coach Sean Payton says the officials told him they blew the call . . . and Rams defender Nickell Robey-Coleman admitted he committed pass interference because he was beaten on the play.

 

 

Saints fans are still FUMING about the no-call, including Harry Connick, Jr., who called the officiating "disgraceful," and said he's so sickened that he's boycotting the Super Bowl.

 

 

 

 

He's calling for booth-review on "outcome-altering" plays, and some others are demanding that as well. 

 

 

The NFL will reportedly discuss . . . again . . . the possibility of making calls reviewable with coaches' challenges in the offseason.  That would've made this obvious call correctable, but it might open a big can of worms for most judgement calls . . . where there's a lot of gray area. 

 

 

The officials still struggle to define exactly what a 'catch' is.  So imagine how long the game would be stopped while they determine how much 'contact' is too much.

 

 

Speaking of New Orleans, the front page headline in the city's "Times - Picayune" was:  "Reffing Unbelievable." 

 

 

View image on Twitter NOLA.com Saints News   ✔@SaintsNOW     Reffing Unbelievable. Today's Times-Picayune front page takes no prisoners.#WhoDat #NewOrleans #Saints   411 6:10 AM - Jan 21, 2019   288 people are talking about this   Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

 

(Making officials' calls reviewable sounds like a mess.)

 

 

(Instead, just let the officials huddle, and call for their own booth review if there's uncertainty, or if they feel like they were blocked from seeing something.  Especially in the last five minutes of a game.)

 

 

(Here's a great angle where you can see why everyone is so up in arms.  WARNING: There's PROFANITY in the video.)

 

 

Darren Rovell   ✔@darrenrovell     Was thinking yesterday that perhaps TV made the blantant non-called pass interference more clear to see. Nope, it was impossible to miss from any angle (via @drew_benitez)   3,506 9:45 AM - Jan 21, 2019   1,439 people are talking about this   Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

Originally posted on January 22nd, 2019

[admin]

New Orleans Saints fans are calling for a redo of Sunday’s NFC championship game after a non-pass interference enabled the Los Angeles Rams to steal the game with a 26-23 victory and advance to the Super Bowl.

Nearly 524,000 New Orleans fans as of Monday have signed an online petition to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who they say has the authority to allow a rematch if “extraordinarily unfair acts” have an effect on the outcome of a game.

CONTROVERSIAL NON-CALL OVERSHADOWS RAMS-SAINTS NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

“Due to refs’ inability to properly officiate at the game, we the undersigned want a re-match against L.A. on Sunday, Jan. 27,” reads the petition. “It’s the only fair solution to this travesty of epic proportions.”

 

Bleacher Preacher / Sports@BleachrPreachr

 

 

THIS IS PASS INTERFERENCE.#NFCChampionship #LARvsNO #TommyLeeLewis

 

137

5:08 PM - Jan 20, 2019

 

137 people are talking about this

 

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The controversial non-call came in the fourth quarter with the teams tied at 20 and less than 2 minutes remaining. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman clashed with Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis before a pass from Drew Brees arrived inside the 5-yard line, forcing the Saints to settle for Wil Lutz’s 31-yard field goal and a 3-point lead. A pass interference would have given the Saints a first down and enabled them to run the clock down before potentially kicking a game-winning field goal.

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Rams placekicker Greg Zuerlein later sent the game into overtime with a 57-yard field goal. New Orleans got the ball first in the overtime period, but quarterback Drew Brees had a pass intercepted by L.A.'s John Johnson III. The Rams were able to gain only 15 yards, but that was just enough room for Zuerlein to kick another field goal, sending his team to Super Bowl 53.