So file this one under probably (read here as never) going to happen but a great topic of discussion on a chilly Monday afternoon.
So here's the take:
Saints star wide receiver is urging the NFL the reversal of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game result following a blatant missed pass interference call late in the fourth quarter. Seriously.
Now you get the never going to happen part, right. We are talking about the NFC CG where the winners goes to Atlanta and the loser goes to the off season.
So let's read on:
The Rams defeated the Saints 26-23 in overtime to win the NFC and punch a ticket to Super Bowl LIII. But the Los Angeles victory came with controversy, as officials swallowed the whistle on an obvious pass interference call late in the game.
A penalty would’ve allowed New Orleans to run down the clock and attempt a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation.
Following the game, Thomas tweeted to the NFL with an excerpt from the rulebook. And, technically, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could reverse the outcome of the game under the article of “Penalties for Unfair Acts.”
#Saints WR Michael Thomas to the league pic.twitter.com/ZYyD9If9Dp
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 21, 2019
So now you have the background, here's a healthy dose of reality to wash it down:
“The Commissioner’s powers under Section 2 include the imposition of monetary fines and draft-choice forfeitures, suspensions of persons involved in unfair acts, and, if appropriate, the reversal of a game’s result or the rescheduling of a game, either from the beginning or from the point at which the extraordinary event occurred,” the rulebook states.
So, technically, Goodell could overturn the outcome. That’s not going to happen, though.
The no-call was certainly egregious enough to warrant some serious consideration, but this type of ruling would be a no-win situation for the commissioner.
Kudos to Thomas for finding the rule, though.
Rams or Patriots it is but I like Mike's approach to the matter. He's always had a way with the Twitter but I think this may be falling on deaf ears.
Sadly, this has shades of the 2015 season at tOSU written all over it and sometimes unrealized potential is as far as it goes. Things end the way they end and right or not, it's yesterday's news and no one is talking about the Saints winning Super Bowl LIII.
Here's a link for the read, if you're into that kind of thing.