Gruden can feel the Saints’ playoff pain
WASHINGTON No sooner had no penalty been called than Sean Payton knew the painful truth, and so did the NFL. A Super Bowl berth had been determined in part by a cruel error in the game between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams.
“We’ll probably never get over it,” the Saints’ moist-eyed coach told reporters on Sunday.
At least Payton isn’t alone in his anguish. Another NFL coach who has been in that same position validated Payton’s initial impression on Tuesday, although he would have preferred to talk about something — anything — other than the infamous tuck rule game of January 2002.
“If you really want to dwell on it, you don’t ever get over that,” Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden said (via the New York Daily News) in Mobile, Ala., where he’s coaching the North team in the Senior Bowl. “It’s the last time that team will ever be together. It’ll never be the same. Those guys fought as long and hard as they could. And it’ll sting forever’”
Seventeen years and one day before the Saints’ loss to the Rams, Gruden’s Raiders lost 16-13 in overtime to the New England Patriots, helped mightily by an overturned call. Charles Woodson hit Tom Brady and it was determined upon review that Brady had not fumbled late in the divisional round game. Rather, referee Walt Coleman ruled that Brady was attempting to tuck the ball back into his body as part of the passing motion. So what looked to be a fumble became an incomplete pass and the Patriots went on to win on a field goal, their dynasty going on to its first of nine Super Bowl appearances in the Brady-Bill Belichick era.
The tuck rule is history now, abolished by a 29-1 vote by owners in 2013. The Saints can only hope for some sort of change, although it isn’t clear how to make non-calls based on judgment reviewable. The NFL will, however, consider the matter during the off-season.
“I talked to Sean Payton (the day after the Saints’ loss),” Gruden said. “It’s a disappointing way to lose a game. But I don’t know what the ramifications of that are going to be. We all saw it. We all know there will be some action taken, I’m sure.”
Saints fans certainly aren’t over the call, not after their playoff hopes were ended so cruelly for a second straight year. They’re taking out their frustrations with lawsuits, boycotts and billboards targeted at the NFL. As for Gruden and Payton, the Raiders coach expects a longer conversation to occur at some point.
“Sean and I worked together a long time ago (with the Eagles).” Gruden said. “So he and I will have a couple hotdogs and a couple glasses of Coke here and talk about things in the future, I’m sure.”
You may not get over it, but you do go on.