Video: Amari Cooper pass interference vs Marshon Lattimore

[Bullflop]

Those videos are sterling examples of how easily officials can be inclined to judge in favor of the home team. The first one should have readily been judged as a non-call, while the second one should have easily been a flag on Lattimore. The Cowboys clearly got played for suckers with that decision! It's difficult enough having to defeat the Saints without being forced to overcome the referees as well.

 

[Runwildboys]

I could see where it appears in the first one that he pushed off, but the 2nd call was a total joke.

In real time, the first one did seem like he shoved him, but replay seems to dispute that. Though if they didn't turn over the Zeke "fumble", they sure as Hell wouldn't have reversed that call based on the footage here.

 

[BobSacamano]

Dang refs

 

[gimmesix]

Lattimore extends his hand/arm into Cooper long before Cooper touched Lattimore.

If nothing else, it should have been and offset of penalties.

I believe he was still in the range where he is allowed contact with the receiver. He doesn't hold him, so I don't see any illegal. If he was beyond 5 yards, then it would have been illegal contact. It's not defensive pass interference because the ball wasn't thrown until Cooper pushed Lattimore away.

 

[Richmond Cowboy]

They are calling a ton of offensive pass interference this year. It's a point of emphasis.

I love it. For too long, receivers got away with pretty much anything and the defensive backs could breath wrong.

This wasn't a good call, but I like the evenness of offensive and defensive pass interference right now.

It would be awesome if one year they decided that the point of emphasis is to not have a point of emphasis. It’s annoying when they purposefully and arbitrarily decide that a particular penalty is going to be more egregious on any given year.

 

[bsbellomy]

I think it was a textbook call. Cooper extended his arms to push Lattimore away, so it was offensive pass interference. If he had just knocked Lattimore's hands off him, then it wouldn't have been.

Officials allow handfighting between the receiver and defensive back without a call, but once that receiver extends his arms like that, it's going to be offensive PI.

Yeah never mind the DB with his hands all over the receiver

 

[gimmesix]

Yeah never mind the DB with his hands all over the receiver

The line of scrimmage is the 34. Lattimore's contact is at around the 38 or 39. It is legal contact. Cornerbacks are allowed to poke, prod and manhandle receivers within 5 yards as long as they don't grab and hold them or the ball isn't thrown to the receiver while that contact is happening.

Cooper extends his arms out and shoves Lattimore away to get off the jam. Again, if had slapped Lattimore's hands away, offensive PI would have not been called. He is allowed to fight back. He's just not allowed to extend his arms.

 

[xwalker]

I believe he was still in the range where he is allowed contact with the receiver. He doesn't hold him, so I don't see any illegal. If he was beyond 5 yards, then it would have been illegal contact. It's not defensive pass interference because the ball wasn't thrown until Cooper pushed Lattimore away.

The line of scrimmage is the 34.

Cooper's front foot is just short of the 40 at the point that Lattimore extends his arm into Cooper and Cooper is over or almost completely over the 40 at the point Lattimore's arm is off of him.

Cooper extends his arm immediately after Lattimore pushed him.

The rule is not such that the DB can push the defender and be considered in the 5 yard area and then the WR push back 6" later and not be in the 5 yard area.

Either they were past 5 yards and Lattimore should be penalized OR they are within 5 yards and Cooper should not be penalized. The push by Lattimore and the arm extension by Cooper are just too close not to call them both in or both out of the 5 yard area.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Home cooking Bull Chit!!!

There is a reason that the Saints are 13-1 with that officiating crew.

And as for as Zeke is concerned with his fumble, well guys this is what happens when you try to get the Commish fired and you fail. Dont expect any calls from Goddell's zebra goons.

 

[The Dark Bishop]

Many of you are right and wrong. I say this because we get the slow replay that shows it slow enough to see the movement.... Sadly I am not the one to decide who is right and who is wrong. That's up to the officials who are dealing with the same issues we are, but at full speed not being able to review it.... What will get the offensive PI call every time is a full extension of the arms on a push off. We have seen it time and time again. Michael Irving made an art of the half push off without fully extending the arms out... Even Dez learned this in his tenure.... I read it hear and on several other boards as well... This is nothing new.... Seeing Coopers arms fully extended will get the call every time rather the contact was made or not.... It is not only the matter of rather the half or full push off was done, but how much separation was created.... If the defensive guy falls down without even contact but it looks like such in real time, it will be called.... This is what the replay is for.... That and the blatant crap that happened to the Saints in the NFCCG......

While I see the push as partial power and not really a means to gain a lot of separation, he extended his arms completely which will always get the call.... Sadly I see the reason the call was made at full speed... Personally I think these are easily fixed if coached right.... Just my honest opinion though.....

 

[buybuydandavis]

In both cases, I think Cooper extended an arm. Also, both cases were bad calls.

In the first case, Cooper extends both arms, but it looks like jazz hands in the air. Maybe a "tag you're it", but I don't see any contact that *impedes* Lattimore in the least.

In the second case, it's hard to tell, because we'd need a view from the right side of the field to see if Cooper extended that one arm. I think he did. Also think he got minimal contact, and Lattimore deserves an Academy Award for flailing his arms about to draw the flag. That was still a bad call because Lattimore made illegal contact past 5 and interfered first.


Moral of the Story
Don't extend your arms. Use your arms to fight his arms, not his body. If you push a guy, lean into him with an forearm/elbow/shoulder and push him with your body weight. Witten is good at that.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The officiating crew is 13-1 for the Saints

A serious league would have stopped the New Orleans Saints All-Stars Officiating Squad from officiating any more Saints games a Saints' victories ago.

#ClownLeague

 

[Bullflop]

What upset me most about this match-up was Lattimore was given the "let them play" flexibility while Cooper was not. One play Lattimore had his arms extended and hands on Cooper when Cooper made his break back to the ball and Cooper was called for PI.

So true! The home field advantage in that game was alive and well.

Both plays, at the very least, should have been offsetting penalties.

 

[DogFace]

I think it was a textbook call. Cooper extended his arms to push Lattimore away, so it was offensive pass interference. If he had just knocked Lattimore's hands off him, then it wouldn't have been.

Officials allow handfighting between the receiver and defensive back without a call, but once that receiver extends his arms like that, it's going to be offensive PI.

Wasn't Lattimore holding onto Cooper with his hands/arms when Coop pushed? Isn’t the receiver allowed to fight him off during those 5 yards?

I’d also agree with the video guy. Coops leverage and momentum and a stop on a dime move is what crates the separation.

That is, his hands on AC’s chest for a ride then a sudden stop caused him to go back. He actually misses with his hands. It appears

 

[ConstantReboot]

Two lame flags that should not have been called. Refs have been terrible. They are ruining the game by calling these ticky tack fouls that really aren't fouls.

 

[gimmesix]

Wasn't Lattimore holding onto Cooper with his hands/arms when Coop pushed? Isn’t the receiver allowed to fight him off during those 5 yards?

I’d also agree with the video guy. Coops leverage and momentum and a stop on a dime move is what crates the separation.

That is, his hands on AC’s chest for a ride then a sudden stop caused him to go back. He actually misses with his hands. It appears

I don't see an indication that he's holding. He's got his arm extended out to jam him. I agree that Cooper's move is at least partially responsible for creating the separation because he doesn't give Lattimore much of a shove, but he extended his arms out and pushed. The official was right on top of the play so he could see the extension and shove, however slight it might have been.

 

[speedkilz88]

They should show Thomas as a comparison. He's well known for pushing off at the top of his route to get separation. He has plenty more obvious than Cooper's.

 

[gimmesix]

The line of scrimmage is the 34.

Cooper's front foot is just short of the 40 at the point that Lattimore extends his arm into Cooper and Cooper is over or almost completely over the 40 at the point Lattimore's arm is off of him.

Cooper extends his arm immediately after Lattimore pushed him.

The rule is not such that the DB can push the defender and be considered in the 5 yard area and then the WR push back 6" later and not be in the 5 yard area.

Either they were past 5 yards and Lattimore should be penalized OR they are within 5 yards and Cooper should not be penalized. The push by Lattimore and the arm extension by Cooper are just too close not to call them both in or both out of the 5 yard area.

Looks to me that Lattimore makes contact around the 38. Cooper begins to push him back at the 39 and pushes him off around the 40. Cooper can fight back within the 5-yard range but he can't push off and immediately turn back and catch the ball. That's offensive PI. If Cooper had simply slapped Lattimore's hand away, nothing would have been called. He didn't. He extended into him to shove him off and then turned and made the catch.

As I just wrote in another post, the official was right there where what happened was easy to see. Of course, officials don't get everything right, but I think that was a pretty easy call to make.

 

[DogFace]

I don't see an indication that he's holding. He's got his arm extended out to jam him. I agree that Cooper's move is at least partially responsible for creating the separation because he doesn't give Lattimore much of a shove, but he extended his arms out and pushed. The official was right on top of the play so he could see the extension and shove, however slight it might have been.

But he has constant contact with Cooper and even the initial grab seems beyond 5 yards as @xwalker pointed out.

The ref being right there, unfortunately, gives me less faith he was right. Just better opportunity to justify the very minor push(as you said) that he could hardly see.

Bottom line. I don’t see how you can let him hang all over him then call that.

 

[mahoneybill]

He pushed off trying to get out of a hold. You either let it go or call it on defense. I vote for letting it go. Nothing wrong with letting guys use their hands to establish position. Had that penalty been let go, that drive is much different. Being pushed back 10 yards was killer with no timeouts.

Agree. Lattimore all over him and when Cooper fights back, he falls adding to the refs flag.