Saints lose again on disputed fumble ruling — SkimNews
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- Saints suffered a 35-27 loss to the Raiders after a fourth-quarter strip sack of Tyler Shough was ruled a fumble, sparking confusion over whether his arm was moving forward at the time of contact.
- Tyler Shough said he believed his arm was going forward when hit, but acknowledged he needed to release the ball sooner, expressing personal uncertainty about the rule’s application.
- Malcolm Koonce sacked Shough and forced the fumble, which was recovered by Maxx Crosby, triggering a sequence of four straight Saints turnovers that enabled Las Vegas’ comeback.
- Chase Young mimicked an incomplete pass on the sideline, referencing Week 1 when a fumble by Jared Goff was overturned due to the same rule involving a quarterback’s throwing motion.
- Alan Eck, the referee, cited 'intent' in the earlier call on Goff, while Mark Butterworth, NFL VP of instant replay, clarified that Shough’s hand was not moving forward with control, distinguishing the two plays.
- NFL officials upheld the fumble ruling on Shough, emphasizing that loss of ball control before a forward arm motion negates an incomplete pass designation, despite fan boos and player frustration.
Why it matters: The Saints have now lost two games under nearly identical controversial circumstances involving the interpretation of a nuanced NFL rule, undermining confidence in consistent officiating. With each instance affecting turnover margin in close games, the repeated ambiguity directly impacts their win-loss record and playoff viability this season.
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