PAYTON, BREES BOTH UPSET
The NFL is reviewing the behavior toward the officiating crew Thursday night by Saints coach Sean Payton, who remained steadfast in his criticism Friday.
Payton said he has not talked to anyone from the league yet, but he was still fuming Friday afternoon over what he called “extremely poor” officiating and said the inconsistency and “confidence level” in officials needs to be improved from the top of the league office.
“It’s frustrating when you have a game, instead of it being decided on the field like it’s supposed to, you have a crew make so many mistakes in one event,” Payton said about the Saints’ 20-17 loss to the Falcons.
Referee Clete Blakeman’s crew penalized Payton for running onto the field toward field judge Joe Larrew with 1:05 left in the game. Payton said he was trying to call a timeout and then Larrew “asked me again.”
The Falcons were facing third down, but Payton’s penalty gave Atlanta a first down and essentially ended the game.
After the game, Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Thursday games are “absolutely” unsafe — due to little rest players receive after Sunday games — and he thinks the NFL’s high injury rate is “100 percent a product of playing on Thursday night.”
“Do you understand what guys’ bodies go through in a game?” Brees told reporters, via The New Orleans TimesPicayune. “And then to have to turn around four days later and to play? ... Is this smart as it pertains to guys’ health and safety? No, absolutely not.”
The Saints suffered a slew of injuries Thursday, including star runner Alvin Kamara, who left in the first quarter with a concussion.
• Saints defensive tackle David Parry was suspended four games by the NFL, with the punishment stemming from a February arrest when he was a member of the Colts.
Footnotes.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is officially questionable against the Buccaneers with a bruised right hand. … Raiders receiver Amari Cooper, who had not practiced since suffering a sprained left ankle and concussion Nov. 26, was listed as questionable to play at Kansas City after practicing in a limited fashion Friday. … The Browns released receiver Kenny Britt. … Packers tight end Lance Kendricks was charged with possession of THC, stemming from a traffic stop Sept. 2.