New Orleans is grieving and desperate.
The Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Saints, 26-23, in overtime to claim the NFC title and earn a trip to Super Bowl LIII, which is set for Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Saints fans, however, remain upset over an apparent pass interference call late in the fourth quarter that wasn’t called on Rams cornerback Nickell Robery-Coleman. The public address announcer had to advise them not to throw items onto the field.
By Monday, thousands had signed an online petition pleading NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell for a rematch of the NFC Championship game. The petition reads:
Refs missed a blatant pass interference call against the Los Angeles Rams late in fourth quarter of Jan. 20 NFC Championship game, possibly costing New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. Due to refs' inability to properly officiate at the game, we the undersigned want a re-match against L.A. on Sunday, Jan. 27. It's the only fair solution to this travesty of epic proportions.
New Orleans rapper Choppa, who penned the Saints’ season anthem “Choppa Style,” joined in the plea with an Instagram post saying this was no ordinary game, because of the Super Bowl implications:
Noted jazz pianist Harry Connick Jr. penned his own letter to Goodell saying in part, “it sickens me to know that the people who are assigned to fairly officiate the game seemingly had no regard for not only a dangerous penalty buy one that would certainly have changed the outcome of the game.”
Bettors are potentially going to collectively sue the NFL over gambling losses as a result of the no-call.