NFC Championship Review

NFC Championship Review

    The day of January 20, 2019, should be long remembered by Football fans and the NFL. It was a glorious day for Football, a historic day which saw both championship games go to overtime for the first time ever. In most cases, I’d be looking at these games and relishing in the greatness that unfolded during these matchups but I’m not. This is especially true for the NFC Championship.

    First and foremost, congratulations to the Los Angeles Rams for advancing to their first Super Bowl since February of 2002. Huge props go to Greg Zuerlein for kicking that 57 yarder. To my knowledge, that’s the longest game-winner in NFL history. This is something I should all over but instead, I’m salty like the rest of the country today.

    This is because of the egregious officiating that unfolded Sunday afternoon. Before I continue any further, I must get a couple of things out of the way. First off, I feel the Rams outdid the Saints fair and square. When lady luck wasn’t bouncing for the Rams, they hung in there and kept playing. Because the game was in New Orleans and because it may have been Drew Brees’s last game there, those circumstances may have fallen in favor of the Saints.

    Also, the Saints had plenty of chances to finish off the Rams but they couldn’t pull it off. They led by scores of 13-0 and 20-10 but the Rams kept on coming back. The best chance for New Orleans to put it away came with about two minutes left in the game. We all know the one, the one which may go down as a black mark the league may never recover from.

    Looking to save the day on a 3rd and 10, Drew Brees fired off a pass intended for Tommylee Lewis. Nickell Robey-Coleman interfered with a sure touchdown as he knocked Lewis to the ground before Lewis had a chance to make a play. In all the years I’ve been watching Football, this had been flagged as “Defensive Pass Interference”. Instead, the refs “forgot” to make the call or their brains were bleeding or whatever and as a result, the Saints had to settle for the field goal, giving them a 23-20 lead.

    Not to be denied, Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams drove down the field and were able to tie the game with eight seconds left. In both of New Orleans home-played NFC Championship, they went to overtime. There was a feeling of justice in the air as New Orleans won the toss and elected to receive.

    Justice was not to be served. In fact, lightning would strike twice. Dante Fowler hit Brees as he threw, which resulted in an Interception for the Rams. All season long, this kind of hit has been penalized due to the NFL’s draconian rule against tackling with force. I know the NFL does not employ me but it looked like Fowler used force on that hit. If this call’s going to cost Clay Matthews and the Packers a win, it should be so in the NFC Championship game as well.

    Here’s the thing. I have no problem with Fowler’s hit. In fact, I think hits like that are needed and terribly missed in Football. With that said, how in god’s name do you not call either of those? I can understand the Dante Fowler hit somewhat but the Robey-Coleman play is ghastly. This season has been called “Ref-Ball” and it showed it’s ugly his this past Sunday. The NFL’s worst-case scenario has just unfolded. The officials have crowned a champion of the NFC thanks to an inexcusable no call.

    I, along with every other sensible human being I know, have despised this rule since its inception. It felt like the death of Football once it was announced and now it’s reined its evil hand over what should be a terrific accomplishment. I should be sitting here today giving full props to the Rams and their, “never say die”, attitude but even their gutsy play can’t overcome the disgrace that unfolded down in New Orleans.

    This is not a case of Gary Anderson missing his first field goal all season or Brett Favre throwing a pick too many or Kyle Williams fumbling the ball at Candlestick. The Saints, while letting the Rams back into the game, have every right to simmer in this loss. Excuse my French; they got royally fucked over in this game. If this is the last game Brees plays in the NFL, the league might become Marie Antoinette to the New Orleans guillotine.

    It’s this kind of thing that gives credence to the theory that the NFL, and sports as a whole, are rigged. The NBA has Game Six of the 2002 Western Conference Finals. The NHL has “No Goal” from the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals. Baseball has Don Deckinger, the 1919 Chicago White Sox and a few other questionable games calling into question their credibility and now the NFL has “The New Orleans No Call”.

    Rubbing salt in the wound is the fact that Alberto Riveron told Sean Payton after the game that the league had messed up the call. Why wasn’t this done during the game? Why wasn’t a meeting held? Why weren’t the replays viewed? It’s nice for the league to admit they’re wrong but to do it after a champion has been crowned? Dear god, I don’t know how you people can live yourselves. Do yourselves a favor a burn your game-checks because you sure as shit don’t deserve them.

    The dodgy officiating will always overshadow a game that should’ve been remembered for the Rams effort. That, ladies and gentlemen, is an inexcusable crime that resulted from an inexcusable no call. Congrats to the Rams, the NFL gave you this game on a silver platter.

…. I’m still pissed about the officiating, so stupid these goddamn rules. So help you god if officiating ruins the Super Bowl too…

-By: Thomas P. Braun Jr.