NFL Twitter in uproar over bogus, drive-killing blindside block penalty on Saints
What in the world? NFL referee Brad Rogers and his crew spiked a critical New Orleans Saints possession to open the second half of their game against the Dallas Cowboys with a bogus foul for a blindside block on tight end Garrett Griffin, wiping out a first down version and moving the Saints offense back from their own 21 yard line to their own 10, facing a first down with 21 yards to go. They punted three plays later.
The reaction was immediate and furious: Griffin and his opponent, defensive back Jayron Kearse, were eye to eye with each other as he initiated the block and shoved Kearse to the ground to protect his quarterback. And that turned out to be a game-changing decision with Cowboys running back Tony Pollard scampering 58 yards for a touchdown run.
Sean Payton was still barking at Rogers and the other officials minutes later while fans crowding the Caesars Superdome chanted with gusto at the bad call. And responses on social media echoed the sentiment:
THEY CALLED THIS A BLINDSIDE BLOCK?!? Omg yo 😂 pic.twitter.com/hogkx8ufig
— Will Blackmon 🍷 (@WillBlackmon) December 3, 2021
Saints lost about a quarter of a football field on a standard block that was called "blindside"
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) December 3, 2021
If Jayron Kearse was noticeably trying to avoid the blocker, it cannot by definition be a blindside block.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 3, 2021
Blindside block when the players are looking at each other lol
The only thing blind was the ref https://t.co/2yAyFmx7Wj pic.twitter.com/a7soQLx1kp
— Jonah Tuls (@JonahTulsNFL) December 3, 2021
Replacement refs were better than this
— Billy Riccette (@Billy_Riccette) December 3, 2021
That whole drive just went from bad to worse starting with the blindside block call
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) December 3, 2021
Say again: Because of league's HQ grading, playoff assignments NFL officials have become slaves to strict interpretation of a rule book convoluted up by a competition committee that includes too many folks who never played football.
It's making the game unwatchable. Ridiculous. https://t.co/r0Luu7wE9O
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 3, 2021
Did the refs want Griffin to let Taysom get blown up by the DB on that play? Like seriously, what do refs want man.
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) December 3, 2021
The refs you suck call has returned to the Superdome. Nature is healing.
— Luke Johnson (@ByLukeJohnson) December 3, 2021
Of all the questionable calls all season, that may be the worst of all.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 3, 2021
Look how blindly this rusher is going after the quarterback in the pocket how could he ever imagine a blocker might show up pic.twitter.com/wH94EC4mhz
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) December 3, 2021
They rarely call blindside blocks but they call that one. Unbelievable
— Ryan (@datboywolf) December 3, 2021
"That's one where the league is going to tell the #Saints, 'We really blew that one.'" — Babe Laufenberg
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) December 3, 2021
That call on Garrett Griffin is perhaps the worst I’ve seen in a #Saints game this season.
Absolutely awful.
NFL officiating should be embarrassed.— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) December 3, 2021
That call was awful My goodness.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) December 3, 2021
blindside block when you’re looking at each other? lmao
— KP (@KP_Show) December 3, 2021
That’s a blindside block?!?!!!!
— Alyse Rodriguez ⚜️ (@AlyseRodriguez) December 3, 2021
That's such a lame flag.
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) December 3, 2021
THAT'S a 'blindside block'????
— Jake Madison (@NOLAJake) December 3, 2021
MAN WHAT
— e. ⚜️ (@whodathomo) December 3, 2021
That's uh, something.
— John Hendrix (@JohnJHendrix) December 3, 2021
Wtf ….. BLINDSIDED BLOCK HOW
— Ceedy Duce. (@CGJXXIII) December 3, 2021
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