There are coincidences and even bad luck in life. This is also true in football. Unfortunately, some teams are on the receiving end of bad luck. Perhaps it’s a way of the football gods choosing favorites. Or maybe, bad teams are more unluckier than others. The Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl. Needless to say, the fans have spent many torturous years hoping and praying. Maybe next year. Maybe never. Perhaps, our team is just jinxed.
On the other hand, there is the New Orleans Saints. A team so talented, yet so unlucky the last couple of years. After yesterday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, the coincidences are starting to add up. It’s hard for New Orleans Saints fans to not wonder if the NFL has a bias against the Black and Gold.
The Imbalance of Penalties Are Creating Tension for New Orleans Saints Fans
Bias and Bad Luck Are Two Different Things
The year was 1985. My best friend at the time convinced me to go out for football at Adams Middle School. Standing about 5-foot-6 and weighing 115 pounds made me a walking casualty at practice. Honestly, the hits threw me around like a little rag doll but I stuck. Our team dominated every opponent shutting out half of our opponents. Adams took down juggernauts Haynes, Gretna, and Livaudais Middle School. In essence, the Chicago Bears couldn’t compete with us. Still, my experience mostly involved warming the bench. Luckily, God gave me speed to play on special teams but never any involvement in any action until one special day.
Running down the field and hitting knocked down happened so frequently. It was expected. However, this one kickoff return the returner came into my focus. Heading straight for him gave me the electric high of adrenaline to plow into him near the sideline. Then it happened. “Face mask number #29-15 yards,” the referee said. Damn. My head coach yelled “Mullen, where are you?” That was bad luck. One moment in an instant to turn my Heisman moment into a faux pas. Surely, the referees didn’t have a Dean Mullen on their board to screw out of a scholarship to Alabama or LSU.
Explaining the Difference Is Becoming Harder
Now speed up another 30 years. The Saints won the game 34-31 the Panthers on Sunday. That being said, the cries are getting louder from around the league about inconsistent calls from referees. Yesterday, it nearly cost the Saints another huge game. The Panthers had three penalties for 25 yards versus the Saints’ 12 penalties for 123 yards. Not to mention, the reversal on an uncalled defensive pass interference call benefiting the Panthers.
Two weeks ago, the Saints hosted the Atlanta Falcons and had the penalties work against them too. The Saints were penalized 12 times for 90 yards against the Falcons seven penalties for only 48 yards. In the last two homes games for the Saints, The numbers are staggering. Over 70 percent of the penalties have gone against the New Orleans Saints. In addition, there have been other calls missed in this year alone. The missed fumble for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers versus the Tennessee Titans. The Detroit Lions playing the Green Bay Packers was another game full of mistakes.
The Clock Is Ticking for Action
Former Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett voiced his concerns. “Refs are playing too big a part in the fate of games,” Dorsett said. Former head coach Tony Dungy also weighed in. “I’m saying three wrong calls and one obvious missed call in one half is not acceptable.”
The integrity of the game is at stake. The system is broken at the moment.
The NFL cannot afford another major mistake in the postseason. Logically, there needs to be consequences for repeat missed calls. If not, this could spin out of control. Winning in the NFL is hard enough. Having to overcome the ineptness of bad referees is too much to ask. New Orleans Saints fans know this all too much.
Football is king in the United States. However, no sport is untouchable. The league needs to address this issue immediately. Otherwise, another important game may get ruined by one bad call.
