By: Jarrod Horton
Staff Writer
New Orleans Saints got a call, but it wasn’t the one he wanted. Head of officials Alberto Riveron contacted the coach and said they “messed up” on a pass interference call at the end of the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams. “For a call like that not to be made, man, it’s just hard to swallow. And then to get a phone call” Payton said. “We spoke initially, then I called to follow up. And the first thing [head of officials Alberto Riveron] said when I got on the phone — ‘We messed it up.’ he continued
The play happened at 1:45 of the fourth quarter. The no call came on the Rams 13-yard old line when Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman ran into Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis. If the call would have been made; the game would be pretty much over with. Without going into conspiracy theories, but there is a long belief that the outcome of sporting events are determined by money and gambling. Henceforth, I came up with the cliché the refs got the call from Vegas.