I'm very confused about that 2nd down play on the Saints last drive.

[DawnOfThemBirds]

Pierre Thomas was clearly down about 2 yards away from the 1st down marker. Can someone explain to me why the refs didn't challenge the the spot on the field?

[Radical]

I say we take the Saints fan appraoch.

HURR DA Saints NEED DA REFS TO WIN11!

[Peyton]

(12-28-2010 02:11 AM)ch46745 Wrote:  Pierre Thomas was clearly down about 2 yards away from the 1st down marker. Can someone explain to me why the refs didn't challenge the the spot on the field?

The reasoning was that spot challenges are only reviewable if it is a question of first down or not.

Ironically, Payton wanted a challenge to see if it was first down. It's too bad he didn't get it.

Either way, I think it was an interpretation error by the Saints. It wouldn't have been a spot challenge, it would have been challenging whether or not the Saints RB was down before he took that final dive.

Looked at in that context, as a "down by contact" review, it should have been reviewable.

[HolyDuckett!]

We were on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up. It looked like Thomas just did a great job of keeping his feet surging and staying up then diving toward the marker.













Not that my opinion here matters squat, I just wanted to post that I was on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up.

[Peyton]

(12-28-2010 02:18 AM)HolyDuckett! Wrote:  We were on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up. It looked like Thomas just did a great job of keeping his feet surging and staying up then diving toward the marker.
Not that my opinion here matters squat, I just wanted to post that I was on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up.

LOL. Yeah......that's not what happened. He was down a full yard to a yard and a half short of where the ball was marked.

[TonyGraziani]

(12-28-2010 02:14 AM)Peyton Wrote:  The reasoning was that spot challenges are only reviewable if it is a question of first down or not.

Ironically, Payton wanted a challenge to see if it was first down. It's too bad he didn't get it.

Either way, I think it was an interpretation error by the Saints. It wouldn't have been a spot challenge, it would have been challenging whether or not the Saints RB was down before he took that final dive.

Looked at in that context, as a "down by contact" review, it should have been reviewable.

I've seen plays like that before, when they challenge to see if it's a 1st or not, see that it isn't, and then mark the ball closer or further back after the replay. It was simply bullshit that they didn't at least LOOK at it, nevermind actually fixing it.

[JDaveG]

(12-28-2010 02:23 AM)Peyton Wrote:  LOL. Yeah......that's not what happened. He was down a full yard to a yard and a half short of where the ball was marked.

You highlighted the wrong part. Here's how it should have looked:

(12-28-2010 02:18 AM)HolyDuckett! Wrote:  We were on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up. It looked like Thomas just did a great job of keeping his feet surging and staying up then diving toward the marker.

Not that my opinion here matters squat, I just wanted to post that I was on the 35 yard line, 9 rows up.

[papachaz]

considering the next play picked up over two yards, where that ball was spotted really made no difference

[Xanthri]

Face the facts, it did not matter.....we lost the game when we punted the ball.

Even if we do not get the 4th, the defense holds the Saints to 3 (giving us another opportunity, or they score a TD in which case the game is over.)

Now if we get the first the whole dynamic is changed....we either drive into FG range to tie or we get a TD and do not leave enough time on the clock......

Anyone else see this. I know Smitty says he thought it was the right decision and I can forgive him, he usually makes a good call.

[Peyton]

(12-28-2010 09:49 AM)chazmataz Wrote:  considering the next play picked up over two yards, where that ball was spotted really made no difference

Well you play defense completely different when you are trying to stop someone from getting an inch as opposed to a yard and a half, so I can't buy that argument.

Either way.......the Falcons weren't going to win the game. But it was a horrible mistake by the officials.