SmashMouth

The NFL’s decision to extend replay review to pass interference penalties may prevent another 2019 Rams-Saints outcome (if the coach of the team on the wrong side of the bad call still has at least one challenge left, and at least one time out), but it may not prevent another 1975 Cowboys-Vikings.

Some of you may remember that one. I remember it all too well. (As does Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, who at the time was a student at the University of Minnesota.) The postseason game that resulted in Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach coining the “Hail Mary” phrase culminated in what appeared to be a two-handed shove by receiver Drew Pearson of Vikings defensive back Nate Wright, allowing Pearson to catch the ball and score the game-winning touchdown. (It didn’t help matters that Vikings safety Paul Krause sauntered into view too late to keep Pearson from scoring.)

If that ever happens again (and assuming that today’s NFL broadcasts would consist of sufficient camera angles to provide a definitive view of the push), the new rule aimed at preventing a major controversy in a postseason game (or any other game) possibly won’t apply. Via Judy Battista of NFL Media, the “tweak” (i.e., major surgery) of the new expansion to eliminate automatic review of pass interference calls and non-calls would also exempt from coach’s challenges the Hail Mary play.

That’s a somewhat convoluted way of saying Hail Mary plays would not be subject to replay review.

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CHA_CHING

I posted about this in another thread, sorry for double post.

Reviewing all pass interference and non-calls is going to open the Pandora's box to a whole lot of other stuff....

Pete

Rigger Roger
I can't wait until that s.o.b dissappears!!
I know he's just the league's personal ***** but it still doesn't make me despise his crooked shell of **** any less.

TheOak

Hail Mary'e are 'jump ball', everyone is the "intended receiver".

I suspect the bigger argument and gray area is defining “Hail Mary”. We know one when we see one but if you can’t clearly define one it will be a fluster cluck.

jeanpierre

Interference is interference. If a player has position on the ball and the opposing player interferes with the player who has position prior to the ball's arrival, it's still interference and should be called...

saintsfan1976

Agreed 100% It's a cop-out by the league.

jnormand

I agree. The non call screwed us, but there is going to be a lot of BS and some unhappy people when the slightest thing happens and it throws the game.

All I can say is that the Saints usually like to keep wins close. That's not a good thing under these review rules. You better be winning pretty convincingly with these review rules.

TheOak

'Theoretically' clean and clear. Now apply it.

Who is the one player in position in #10, #8, #5, #2?

I am inclined to believe that allowing a Referee to decide which player is in position would lead to Saints vs Rams controversial calls.

Budsdrinker

We're still the only team that was ever called for interference on a Hail Mary.
It was called on Jimmy Graham about 6 years ago if you all remember.

vpheughan

Against the 49er's in the Dome. The DB flopped and Graham got flagged. It was the last play of regulation. The Saints lost in OT. I think it was the same game Kaepernick threw a TD pass on 4Th and forever.