Officiating at the End of Game (2 Viewers)

[Sailorsaint]

There's no 10 second run off when the clock is stopped. And the clock being stopped is what created the penalty.

But the rule is specifically stated for when the clock is stopped and it says there should be a 10 second run off. It says that right in the rule....
INTENTIONAL GROUNDING—SPIKE TO CONSUME TIME First-and-10 on B30. The game clock is stopped with six seconds left in the first half. QBA1 takes the snap and immediately spikes the ball into the ground to take one second off the clock so that a field-goal attempt will run out the clock. Ruling: Half over. Intentional grounding and a 10-second runoff. A QB can only spike the ball to stop a running game clock. An attempt to take time off the clock is intentional grounding.

 

[Rsquared]

That was after he got up and started running, when he caught the ball and landed on his back, inbounds, he was touched by a defender...that's why that defender wasn't chasing him.

Correct, the touch came before this. It definitely should have been a booth review because it's under 2 minutes. I'm guessing the quick spike prevented the review which would have corrected the situation. If it had been reviewed and ruled down by contact, would that have required a 10 second runoff? Crazy ending and huge learning experience. Just grateful we got the win.

 

[Clintonrebel]

Hard to blame Winston for the intentional grounding. Landry looked inbounds. Our coaches should’ve been on top of it and been in Winstons helmet mic.

A two second look at the game clock would have told him what he needed to know.

 

[maybellineo]

Was at the game. The line judge on the Falcons side of the field was CONSISTENTLY spotting the ball a yard further back than where our player landed. The spot on the Kamara loss-of-yardage play was robbery. I believe that same official threw the flag on the supposed Lattimore holding well away from the throw (they never showed a replay in the dome, but the feedback I got was that it was bogus.)

On TV it look like Lattimore touched the Falcon guy's stomach. No grab of jersey at all. And the way the receiver was turned it would have been almost impossible for the ref to see at the angle anyway.

 

[SaintswonSBXLIV]

Show me where it says that in the rules. Besides, once the ball is snapped, the clock is no longer stopped, it is running. It is physically impossible to spike a ball when the clock is not running.

You are being way too literal. The clock was not running before the snap. It was the right call.

 

[td2w]

Man.... Several bold calls by the officials were really bad.

1. There's no way the catch at the end of the first half was an incomplete pass - this "football move" nonsese is just a gut feeling and they all seem to just stick it to us every time. If you review everything in the final minutes of the half, why on earth would you call anything other than a fumble? Why give the benefit of the doubt?

2. Two calls on Lattimore at the end of the game were also a stretch. Yeah maybe he pushed a guy to the ground, but that was officially after the game has ended - time ran out! Before that, maybe he was holding for a little moment (a receiver that wasn't even targeted) but both penalties had nothing to with the rest of the game
Lattimore lacks self-control in those situations and we've seen it last year as well, but you can't decide the outcome of the game on these penalties. Mike Thomas was being held twice as much in his TDs and 2PT conversion. 0 Flags.

3. Pete Warner with the "defenseless receiver" call - what was that all about? No hit to the head, no body leverage, where is the penalty?

4. Last and most important one - The Winston intentional grounding call.
Yes it was against the rules - if there's a rule for it, I get it - call it, but that's not the issue.

Landry was in bounds and was touched by the defender. I'm 328% certain that this was the case after watching the replay several times. (and BTW - not the smartest move there by Juice to run and celebrate)

Where's the problem then, you may ask? Well, it's a catch 22 situation, with those refs, I wouldn't be surprised if they had suddenly decided to challenge this and just announce the clock ran off and the game is over. I'm actually glad Winston spiked the ball - otherwise who knows what would've happened.

At this point, they can flag us for warming up before the game. Poor officiating lead to a poor decision by the Saints, but then again, who knows if it was the wrong decision..

 

[OldTimeGamer1966]

Was at the game. The line judge on the Falcons side of the field was CONSISTENTLY spotting the ball a yard further back than where our player landed. The spot on the Kamara loss-of-yardage play was robbery. I believe that same official threw the flag on the supposed Lattimore holding well away from the throw (they never showed a replay in the dome, but the feedback I got was that it was bogus.)

The non call on the Pitts fumble which it clearly was a fumble.

 

[greg8710]

On a random note…. Vilma was kinda annoying

 

[Mutt]

Even in the nose bleeds in MB Dome, it was obvious the refs were incompetent at best.... Especially those last 5 minutes of the game.

 

[Sailorsaint]

You are being way too literal. The clock was not running before the snap. It was the right call.

Aren't the rules supposed to be taken literally? Or open for interpretation by each individual ref? If you are going by the rules, you follow them literally.
Edit: and it was the wrong call. But, we can agree to disagree, we won, against the odds, that's what matters. They, the refs, just didn't make it easy or fair.

 

[Jazz Cabbage]

I keep watching that play to Landry, and everybody's body language indicates they thought he was touched down in bounds. Vilma thought the penalty was for us not being set. Like wtf dude.

Bad call by the refs - but if they ruled he was out of bounds, that obviously helps us in that situation. It looks like the team got a little excited after the play and didn't verify what the officials had determined. Then we spike it on 3rd down. That was super ugly. We need to be way more composed in those situations regardless of what is called on the field. We definitely didn't need to give ATL (and the refs lol) another possession at the end there.

 

[SaintTupelo]

In watching the Laundry catch again, the ref was not in position to see Landry get touched as he was going to the ground. He did see Laundry step out at the 40 and waved his hands to stop the clock. He was pushed back inadvertently by the Atlanta defender who initially fell behind Landry. When Landry ran the ball back to an official to have them spot the ball the other ref and refs acted as if the clock was still running. That is where I have the problem. The refs should have said Stop and take their normal time to spot a ball.

You can see the ref in the bottom right of the picture with his arms up in a waving formation. Had he rule correctly that Landry was down by contact, then all actions afterward would have been correct. Here is where a blown call that normally would have worked for the Saints where they then huddle up and call their next play, I am sure the replay dude would've stopped the game, after reviewing the catch Ask Atlanta do they want to use a time out or run 10 seconds off the clock. Atlanta would have taken the time out. Which would have left them none on their last play before the FG attempt.

Anyway the end result is a Saints win. Let's move on

 

[FullMonte]

In watching the Laundry catch again, the ref was not in position to see Landry get touched as he was going to the ground. He did see Laundry step out at the 40 and waved his hands to stop the clock. He was pushed back inadvertently by the Atlanta defender who initially fell behind Landry. When Landry ran the ball back to an official to have them spot the ball the other ref and refs acted as if the clock was still running. That is where I have the problem. The refs should have said Stop and take their normal time to spot a ball.

You can see the ref in the bottom right of the picture with his arms up in a waving formation. Had he rule correctly that Landry was down by contact, then all actions afterward would have been correct. Here is where a blown call that normally would have worked for the Saints where they then huddle up and call their next play, I am sure the replay dude would've stopped the game, after reviewing the catch Ask Atlanta do they want to use a time out or run 10 seconds off the clock. Atlanta would have taken the time out. Which would have left them none on their last play before the FG attempt.

Anyway the end result is a Saints win. Let's move on

I agree that one of the refs should have maybe gone out of their way to make sure the Saints knew the clock was stopped, but I can't fault them for the way they spotted the ball. The Saints were in a hurry up offense, and the Saints were rushing to run the next play. It's possible the Saints had a matchup they liked, and didn't want Atlanta to have a chance to adjust or something. I don't think the refs should be expected to slow down a team that is hurrying.

 

[DSnfla]

It's been posted a few times, not sure if it's in this thread.

(bold emphasis mine)

https://nflcommunications.com/Documents/2021%20-%20Rule%20Book%20%20Case%20Book.pdf

I get that's what the rule says but if the clock starts at the SNAP is it not running when JW spiked it?