Botched no-call in Saints game leads to free eye exams for refs
A Louisiana optometry office is offering free eye exams to all NFL officials after Sunday’s fiasco, which might have cost the New Orleans Saints a spot in Super Bowl LIII.
Shortly after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Saints 26-23 in overtime, with the help of a controversial no-call, Family Eye Center in Covington, Louisiana, posted on its Facebook page the free offer.
“After having time to consider things we will GLADLY provide no cost eye exams to all NFL officials prior to next season to prevent the atrocity that occurred tonight. We would hate for someone else to feel our pain.”
The controversial play came with 1:45 left in regulation with the score tied at 20-all. The Saints had the ball on the Rams’ 13-yard line. Quarterback Drew Brees’ pass on third-and-10 to Tommylee Lewis fell incomplete, but Rams’ cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman interfered and also made helmet-to-helmet contact with Lewis.
Or so it appeared he did.
The referees didn’t penalize the Rams and instead of running the clock down and attempting a chip-shot field goal to win the game and earn a berth in the Super Bowl, the Saints had to settle for a field goal and 23-20 lead.
The Rams tied the game as time expired and won on a 57-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.