KMY_Amber
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I know I have the unpopular opinion about this whole play, and argued with my friends right after it happened last night, but here's my thoughts:
I understand why there was no call made.
(and for the record, I was rooting for the Saints)
Why?
The ref closest to the play was standing behind the WR/CB, and from that angle, and the ball's arrival and the hit were pretty damn close. No, Robey-Coleman (RC) didn't make a great play on Lewis and the ball, he just got lucky that he arrived "around" the time the ball did. So, from the back ref, it was hard to tell, so no flag.
The refs farther away with better angles likely thought, "Well, since the ref closest to the play didn't throw a flag, and I can't 100% say whether the timing wasn't inadvertently perfect by the DB, I better let it go too." Thus, no flag from anyone else.
The bottom line, I think it was much closer than people are giving credit, in regards to the ball's arrival and the timing of the hit. And certainly for the ref behind the play (closest to the play), it looked even closer, as the trajectory of the ball may almost have been blocked by the players making contact.
And no, I don't think a personal foul because RC "targeted the WR with his helmet" should have been called. It wasn't some egregious hit to the head...RC didn't lead with his head or anything. Their helmets simply made contact because of the hit. Sure, a personal foul could have been called, but that would have been a stupid penalty, IMO. And no, it wasn't a blatant hit to "a defenseless WR" because RC was certainly try to break up the play....and all in all, he didn't exactly blow Lewis up. Sure, they could have called the personal foul for "a hit to a defenseless WR", but I think 80% of these calls are bogus anyway...because "a defenseless WR" is so subjective.
So, ultimately, no call was made, and yes, one COULD have been called, but I totally see why none was made. IMO, it was close...so that means the call simply didn't go the Saints way.
Last, Brees had a chance to take command of the game on 1st down of that drive. They called a pass on 1st down (which I was fine with, even though all the pundits said they should have run on 1st and 2nd downs...and I get it, to use the Rams TOs)...and on that 1st down pass, it was a quick, high percentage throw to Thomas. And he was wide open on a quick slant because of a subtle pick play, and Thomas at worst was going to get 5 yards and keep the clock moving (forcing the Rams to take a timeout like a running play), more likely going to get 10 yards for a 1st down (which would have basically sealed it), or he was going to score, for the Saints to take the lead by more than a FG. But you know what? Brees (who I love, by the way), he blew it. He threw the ball right into the ground at Thomas' feet, no catch. As soon as it happened, I thought, "Oh snap, that's a big play right there, a big miss by Brees."...because the clock stopped too. And that put more pressure on the next 2 plays for the Saints.
Now, if that would have been Dak who missed that easy throw, this forum would have blown up and asked for his head on a platter....PROOF that he can't make the big plays when needed. Brees didn't execute, and that simple missed throw was HUGE...as it would have never came down to hoping the ref makes the call on 3rd down. When he goes back and looks at that 1st down play, he'll remember that...that was on him, and that could have easily sealed the game.
And of course, no, I ain't boycottin' the Superbowl, because I didn't even boycott the Superbowl when the blew the call against the Cowboys against the Packers when EVERYone knew that Dez caught that ball. No, it wasn't an egregious decision by the refs that it was no catch, because by the letter of the law, they maybe made the right call, but what a stupid rule in the rule book for what a catch is.
So for me, it was not some OBVIOUS missed call, not by any stretch of the imagination. The hit wasn't even a full second before the ball arrived, it was a bang-bang play, closer than many are giving credit in the heat of the moment.
I understand why there was no call made.
(and for the record, I was rooting for the Saints)Why?
The ref closest to the play was standing behind the WR/CB, and from that angle, and the ball's arrival and the hit were pretty damn close. No, Robey-Coleman (RC) didn't make a great play on Lewis and the ball, he just got lucky that he arrived "around" the time the ball did. So, from the back ref, it was hard to tell, so no flag.
The refs farther away with better angles likely thought, "Well, since the ref closest to the play didn't throw a flag, and I can't 100% say whether the timing wasn't inadvertently perfect by the DB, I better let it go too." Thus, no flag from anyone else.
The bottom line, I think it was much closer than people are giving credit, in regards to the ball's arrival and the timing of the hit. And certainly for the ref behind the play (closest to the play), it looked even closer, as the trajectory of the ball may almost have been blocked by the players making contact.
And no, I don't think a personal foul because RC "targeted the WR with his helmet" should have been called. It wasn't some egregious hit to the head...RC didn't lead with his head or anything. Their helmets simply made contact because of the hit. Sure, a personal foul could have been called, but that would have been a stupid penalty, IMO. And no, it wasn't a blatant hit to "a defenseless WR" because RC was certainly try to break up the play....and all in all, he didn't exactly blow Lewis up. Sure, they could have called the personal foul for "a hit to a defenseless WR", but I think 80% of these calls are bogus anyway...because "a defenseless WR" is so subjective.
So, ultimately, no call was made, and yes, one COULD have been called, but I totally see why none was made. IMO, it was close...so that means the call simply didn't go the Saints way.
Last, Brees had a chance to take command of the game on 1st down of that drive. They called a pass on 1st down (which I was fine with, even though all the pundits said they should have run on 1st and 2nd downs...and I get it, to use the Rams TOs)...and on that 1st down pass, it was a quick, high percentage throw to Thomas. And he was wide open on a quick slant because of a subtle pick play, and Thomas at worst was going to get 5 yards and keep the clock moving (forcing the Rams to take a timeout like a running play), more likely going to get 10 yards for a 1st down (which would have basically sealed it), or he was going to score, for the Saints to take the lead by more than a FG. But you know what? Brees (who I love, by the way), he blew it. He threw the ball right into the ground at Thomas' feet, no catch. As soon as it happened, I thought, "Oh snap, that's a big play right there, a big miss by Brees."...because the clock stopped too. And that put more pressure on the next 2 plays for the Saints.
Now, if that would have been Dak who missed that easy throw, this forum would have blown up and asked for his head on a platter....PROOF that he can't make the big plays when needed.
Brees didn't execute, and that simple missed throw was HUGE...as it would have never came down to hoping the ref makes the call on 3rd down. When he goes back and looks at that 1st down play, he'll remember that...that was on him, and that could have easily sealed the game.And of course, no, I ain't boycottin' the Superbowl, because I didn't even boycott the Superbowl when the blew the call against the Cowboys against the Packers when EVERYone knew that Dez caught that ball.
No, it wasn't an egregious decision by the refs that it was no catch, because by the letter of the law, they maybe made the right call, but what a stupid rule in the rule book for what a catch is. So for me, it was not some OBVIOUS missed call, not by any stretch of the imagination. The hit wasn't even a full second before the ball arrived, it was a bang-bang play, closer than many are giving credit in the heat of the moment.
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