There was an officiating controversy, and Saints fans predictably freaked out
You have to imagine that, of all the possible venues, Monday night’s officials didn’t want to explain to the Superdome crowd that a review just cost the New Orleans Saints 10 valuable seconds.
The officials admitted a mistake afterward too. That won’t help Saints fans feel better about the no-call in last year’s NFC championship game.
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Late in the second quarter, Saints receiver Michael Thomas caught a pass that seemed just short of the first down. Just before the Saints ran a quarterback sneak for the first down, officials blew the whistle. They wanted to review the play.
The Saints ended up with a first down on Thomas’ play, and it ended up costing them dearly.
Saints get docked 10 seconds
The officials reviewed the play, and found that Thomas got a first down after all. Sounds like great news.
But when a play is reviewed in the final two minutes and there was a running clock, officials run 10 seconds off the clock. The officials, who called for the review because it was in the last two minutes of the half, announced to the crowd that the clock would be taken from 26 seconds left to 16.
The problem was, the officials got the time wrong. NFL Senior VP of Officiating Alberto Riveron said the clock should have been run down from 41 seconds, when the previous play ended.
RELEASE | Here’s NFL Senior VP of Officiating Al Riveron on the clock debacle at the end of the first half.
He admits to pool reporter @LarryHolder that a mistake occurred. pic.twitter.com/lNak28c09c— Amie Just (@Amie_Just) September 10, 2019
When officials announced the runoff, Saints fans booed. And booed. And booed. A long offseason of frustration was being released on the officials.
Saints miss a late field goal
Sean Payton didn’t seem happy either, and that’s nothing new. He was incensed at the infamous missed pass interference call that kept the Saints from going to last season’s Super Bowl.
The lost time cost the Saints. Wil Lutz tried a 56-yard field goal and barely missed. With one more play and a few more yards, Lutz might have hit it.
There were more boos as the officials left the field at halftime. It probably won’t be the last time Saints fans unload on officials this season.
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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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