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....

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.

CHA_CHING

When this comes back and screws us over in a game, I don't want to hear a word about it from fans who are still blaming the entire NFCCG loss on the non-call. Games like that do not come down to just one call, but we got the rule change to make everyone happy.

We led the league last year in defensive pass interference calls. That is my biggest concern with this rule change. It could easily come back and screw us hard.

jeanpierre

Great Point!

There are some things that Payton has failed to realize, even with HOF Brees as his quarterback, and that's that long before they arrived, this team nearly always got screwed in close games...

CHA_CHING

I believe it's true that margin of victory in the NFL is a lot closer now than it was 20-30 years ago. I don't have stats to prove this, but it seems that in the last several years, most games by the week will be determined by 10 or less points. There are still blow outs, but they don't seem to be as common as they were a long time ago.

Ever since the NFL realigned the divisions, it's led to more 9-7 type teams making the playoffs, but also increased the number of 1-15 and 2-14 type dumpster fire teams. These teams usually will have a number of close games they could've won. The 0-16 Lions and Browns both had at least 4 games decided by 7 points or less that were winnable (Cleveland lost 6 close games in their 0-16 season).

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.