The Saints are rightfully upset about the end of the NFC championship game and so are their fans.
New Orleans fell to the Rams in overtime 26-23 after a controversial no-call on what appeared to be pass interference late in the fourth quarter Sunday. After the loss, one Saints’ fan started a petition online aimed at getting the NFL to overturn the Rams victory and replay the matchup next weekend.
The petition, which already has more than 366,600 signatures, says:
Refs missed a blatant pass interference call against the Los Angeles Rams late in fourth quarter of Jan. 20 NFC Championship game, possibly costing New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. Due to refs’ inability to properly officiate at the game, we the undersigned want a re-match against L.A. on Sunday, Jan. 27. It’s the only fair solution to this travesty of epic proportions.
The play in question occurred with the score tied at 20 and the ball in the red zone late in the fourth quarter. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw the ball down the sideline to Tommylee Lewis on a third-and-10. The wide receiver, however, was knocked down by Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and failed to catch the pass.
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Robey-Coleman made contact with Lewis before the ball arrived, but the referees did not throw a flag. The Saints ended up kicking a field goal and the Rams answered with one of their own to force overtime. Los Angeles went on to win 26-23 in overtime.
No flag on this play... pic.twitter.com/q5yDHqm0yQ
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 20, 2019
The Patriots will face the Rams in Super Bowl 53 on Monday, February 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.