A article from a retired NFL official:

ATTENTION: WHO DAT NATION, AND NFL FOOTBALL FANS EVERYWHERE

This will be a rather lengthy post, so I ask you to read it entirely, as it will be informative, educational and important going forward. The integrity of the NFL and the game itself is at stake in my opinion, and for reasons I will outline below I have to speak out.



FIRST, before anyone calls me, or any other Saints fan a crybaby, let me say that the Saints had plenty of opportunities to make plays and win this ballgame, including overtime. They did not, they lost and that is the reality we are dealing with. However, no one with any intelligence whatsoever can dispute that if this call had of been made, the Saints in fact would have won and be playing in the Super Bowl. This is a fact, not an assumption. They simply would have run out the clock and advanced, so yes this no call cost them the game.



Many of you that know me know that I am a retired football official. If I had not retired at the end of the 2016 season, this post would send me into retirement. You see, officiating is a tight knit brotherhood, one where you don't criticize or call out other officials. Even if I had not retired, I would have risked my career on this because it simply can not be left where it is. Please bear with me, as I am going to educate many of you on how officiating works, who is at fault, and why this has to be addressed.



As football officials, we train, study and test, countless hours, work scrimmages, etc... to perfect our craft. We as a whole take pride in what we do, and there are tons of great football officials out there, many of whom I am blessed to call dear friends, and excellent at what they do. So, my striped brothers, I am sorry if I let you down with this post and the many details, but this has to be fixed.



Football officials work a ball game based on rules interpretation, and mechanics. What are mechanics? A position by position set of guidelines an official must follow to be in the right place at the right time. watching the right player or zone, and making the appropriate call. Do we miss some, yes. Do we strive to get better and learn from those misses....all good officials I know do.



Where did this go wrong and who is at fault? Here we go.....



First, I have seen many posts blaming and calling for the head of Bill Vinovich, the Referee (White Hat) in this game. This was not, and I repeat, not his call to make. His responsibility at the snap of the ball is (1) the QB-he stays with him until the play ends. He has to protect the QB from late hits, cheap shots, etc. He does not follow receivers downfield. (2) He has a secondary look, per proper mechanics, at tackle to tackle along the line of scrimmage. He looks for holding, low blocks, etc.

After viewing much film of this play from many angles, Bill Vinovich does his job. Yes, he finally looks downfield, but far too late to see the entire play, let alone call a penalty on this play.



Second, #11, TommyLee Lewis was lined up as a back in this formation, and comes out of the backfield into his route to catch the pass. Per mechanics, this gives the responsibility to watch him, to official #13, Patrick Turner, the Down Judge(DJ). It appears that Turner does in fact follow his man, and in my opinion from watching the film, saw the foul and was contemplating throwing the flag. IMPORTANT POINT OF EMPHASIS....officials often look at each other to agree on a call prior to throwing a flag, unless one official saw it plainly and needs no help in making the call. Turner looks downfield to Side Judge(SJ) #60, Gary Cavaletto, moves toward him and is speaking. At this point, Cavaletto emphaticall waves to Turner, talking to him at the same time. He appears to tell Turner NO there was no foul, waves his hand at Turner and appears to order Turner to return to his position. By proper mechanics, Cavaletto was responsible for the widest receiver on his side of the field, and should follow that player.He has secondary responsibility to make this call not primary. Yet, he very authoritatively comes in, waves off Turner and no call is made.



So, here is the travesty in all of this. Cavaletto has 16 years of NFL experience. Turner has only 5. Unfortunately I have worked with a few officials, thank God not many, who throw their seniority around, and act like they own the game. This is what I see on this film. A guy-Cavaletto, who throws his weight around, intimidates and backs off a newer official. When it wasn't his call to begin with. This is despicable and unacceptable.

For those asking why the Referee Vinovch didn't jump in and correct this, he couldn't. With no flag on the ground, he had no disagreement between officials to mediate and make a final judgement on. What should have happened is simple. Turner should have thrown the flag no matter what Cavaletto said. Cavaletto could have objected, but then and only then could the referee intervened and called the penalty.



Here is where we are and what we are left with. I was taught that if I had a foul, if I was absolutely certain, with no doubt in my mind. to throw the flag. Period. Explain my call to the referee and leave the final decision to him. Turner in this instance failed and failed miserably. I know he saw the foul, he was right there on top of it....I think he had it and knew it, but let a senior official intimidate him into not throwing it.



Gary Cavaletto's NFL officiating career should end immediately. No reprieve, no other chances. His actions, lack of proper mechanics and attitude on this play, in a game of this magnitude in particular tells us all he is an unfit official, incapable of calling a game honestly and fairly. The truth of the matter is he saw this foul too and ignored it.



Patrick Turner, sadly, should have his NFL officiating career end immediately. He saw it, he knew it, yet he did not make the call. Why? Fear....intimidation by Cavaletto, who knows. We will never have the answer. But a timid, uncertain official, one without the backbone to stand up and do the right thing is no official at all.



We need to share this, get this out, put pressure on the NFL so such a travesty never ever occurs again. Face it, if any of us did our jobs as ineptly as these 2 men did, we would be seeking employment elsewhere and immediately.



Now, for some more sad but true facts....these will make you ask how in the world the NFL allowed this to happen, in a game of this magnitude?

DJ #13 Patrick Turner, attended Cal State-Long Beach

SJ #60 Gary Cavaletto, attended Hancock College, yes right there in good old Santa Maria, CA

BJ @ 30 Todd Prokup, attended Cal State Fullerton. By the way, Prokup had a look at this as well, and could have made the call had Turner and Cavaletto missed it,,,,,but crickets from him

Referee @ 52 Bill Vinovich, attended San Diego State University

How could the NFL allow 4 of 7 officials on the field in a championship game be from the area of one of the competing teams. It stinks....bad



Let's share this, make it go viral.. Put the pressure on the NFL to fix this so it never ever happens again. Change the city...it could have been Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago....no NFL team or fanbase deserves to be slapped in the face and treated this way. Shame on you NFL....SHAME ON YOU