Long after this season is over, the New Orleans Saints will remember the pass interference that wasn't.

With the score tied 20-20 and under two minutes to play in Sunday's NFC title game, the Saints were driving for what could have been a game-winning field goal and a trip to the Super Bowl. On third down, Drew Brees' pass to Tommylee Lewis fell incomplete as Los Angeles Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman made contact with the Saints wide receiver.

"I don't know if there was ever more obvious pass interference," New Orleans coach Sean Payton told reporters after the game. In a phone call with Payton moments earlier, the league office confirmed what replays showed: the officials blew the call.

The Rams defender even admitted he made contact too early.

"Ah, hell yeah, that was PI," Robey-Coleman said after being shown the play on a reporter's phone.

"I did my part. "Referee made the call. We respect it."

If a penalty had been called, it would have given the Saints a first down and allowed them to run the clock down to the final seconds for a field goal attempt. Instead, Wil Lutz's field goal on the next play gave the Saints a 23-20 lead with 1:45 to play.

The incompletion also left enough time on the clock for the Rams to drive down and kick a game-tying field goal with 19 seconds left in regulation.

While the Saints still had a chance to win the game in overtime, a Brees interception on their first possession led to the Rams' winning kick.

"It's a tough way to lose a game, especially when we were in a position like that to win it," Payton told Fox Sports' Erin Andrews. "We may never get over it."

Saints fans may not either.

Follow Steve Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner.

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