NEW ORLEANS — Stop me if you’ve heard this before: A blown pass interference call hurt the Saints in the NFC playoffs.
This time, it didn’t end the Saints Super Bowl dreams. In fact, it wasn’t even in a game the Saints were playing.
The Saints needed Seattle to beat the San Francisco 49ers in order to earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs and a first-round bye, but as the Seahawks marched down the field for a potentially game-winning touchdown a missed call may have cost them the game.
With less than a minute to play, the Seattle Seahawks lined up at the 7-yard line on third-and-goal. Russell Wilson throws a quick pass to tight end Jacob Hollister, but 49ers linebacker Fred Warner is all over him, holding down his arm and shoulders.
Sunday Night Football’s rules analyst, Terry McAulay, is brought in to analyze the play on air.
“He’s clearly got him grabbed. Significantly hindering the receiver. This should be a booth review,” he said. “I’m surprised they haven’t stopped the game.”
Seattle would have been set up at the 1-yard line. First and goal. Marshawn Lynch back in action.
Instead, Wilson throws to Hollister on fourth down and he’s stopped inches from reaching the goal line.
Of course, Seattle had plenty of other opportunities to win. Before any of that happened Seattle was already at the two-yard-line and a sloppy delay of game penalty pushed them back.
There was an entire game of football before that missed call, but it still hurts for Saints fans see a missed pass interference call cost them a first-round bye nearly a year after a missed call cost them a trip to the Super Bowl.
All that matters now is the Saints wild card game against the Minnesota Vikings. Sunday, Jan. 5. Noon. Superdome. See you there.
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