League admits mistake in Lions-Saints game
 

“Referee Tony Corrente ruled the play was a fumble and a recovery by Detroit,” the league said in a statement emailed Sunday night to PFT. “However, during the play and before Detroit recovered the fumble, another official blew the whistle believing it was an incomplete pass. Because the ruling on the field was a fumble, and the whistle came before the recovery, the play is dead because of the inadvertent whistle and the Saints should have retained possession of the ball. New Orleans would then have had the choice to put the ball in play at the spot where possession was lost or to replay the down. Inadvertent whistles are not reviewable.”

League admits errors on Lions-Saints fumble | ProFootballTalk

I knew it.

I wouldnt be this forgiving if we lost the game because of it, but everyone makes mistakes and refs arent perfect. but at least they called the play dead before the touchdown. that could have killed us

I think had the whistle not blown some o-linemen could have been in position to stop the fumble return. Once the whistle blows it's like everyone stops or is in slow motion.

It was a bad call. We have these conversations every week... unfortunately.

But after the whistle they were awarded posession, it should have been Saints ball, and they ruled it a fumble Lions were unable to capitalize end of story.

An inadvertent whistle is one thing, I can accept those because a play like that is tough to get right on the spot at that speed. The failure to follow the rules and awarding the balls to the Lions however is a lot more serious.

Glad this came out now so people wouldn't make the argument that the lions got hosed because they didn't get a scoop and score. Oh wait...that ****in douchebag coach Schwartz already did. Oh well, now he looks like an even bigger dumbass.

Baloney.

I'm sure the Schwartz will claim there's a conspiracy against his team now.

He got the best of all outcomes, given the events, and he still couldn't score.

Lets' see if he goes from douche to giant douche.

It actually should have been a Lions TD, then. Thats what I suspected, when I saw it. Happened too fast for me to officiate it.

I think we would have come back anyway, but I want to win fair and square, so there's no whining.