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Petition Demanding Rams-Saints Rematch Garners Hundreds Of Thousands Of Signatures

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A Change.org petition demanding that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issue a rematch of the NFC title game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints -- following the controversial missed pass interference call -- has garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures.

The petition, posted by Saints fan Terry Cassreino, asks that the NFL replay the game next Sunday, Jan. 27.

NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams v New Orleans Saints
Tommylee Lewis of the New Orleans Saints drops a pass broken up by Nickell Robey-Coleman of the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 20, 2019, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

"Due to refs' inability to properly officiate at the game, we the undersigned want a re-match against L.A. on Sunday, Jan. 27," Cassreino wrote. "It's the only fair solution to this travesty of epic proportions."

It has received more than 628,000 signatures as of early Tuesday afternoon.

With the game tied at 20, the Saints were driving deep into Rams territory with under two minutes to play. On 3rd and 10 and with 1:48 to play, Rams cornerback Nickel Robey-Coleman crushed Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis with a helmet-to-helmet hit on a throw from Drew Brees while the ball was in the air. The ball fell incomplete and the referees declined to call pass interference, forcing the Saints to kick a field goal.

Following the game, Robey-Coleman himself admitted that he had committed a blatant pass interference penalty.

"Came to the sideline, looked at the football gods and was like, 'Thank you,'" Robey-Coleman said. "I got away with one tonight."

If pass interference had been called, the Saints would have received a new set of downs, allowing them to simply run down the clock and kick the game-winning field goal.

The Rams tied the game on a field goal of their own in regulation, then won 26-23 with a 57-yard field goal in overtime to book their ticket to the Super Bowl.

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