Social Media Is Screaming “RIGGED” After Strange Call In Lions-Saints Game Changed Everything [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Week 1 of the NFL season rarely settles anything on its own. And Sunday’s opener between the Lions and Saints managed to spark a rules controversy before halftime even got there.
One play from the Lions-Saints clash left just about everyone confused. And the explanation didn’t make it any easier to understand.
Detroit led 7-0 midway through the second quarter, driving deep into Saints territory. Jared Goff dropped back to pass, looking for an outlet against a tough New Orleans defense.
That’s when everything went sideways, literally.
Refs Wipe A Scoop-And-Score Off The Board
Saints pass rusher Chase Young beat his blocker and drilled Goff from behind, jarring the ball loose. It caromed backward nearly 15 yards before safety Jonas Sanker scooped it up and raced into the end zone, seemingly tying the game at 7-7.
Officials had other plans. After review, they ruled the play an incomplete pass, wiping the touchdown off the board entirely.
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira explained that because Goff had already begun his throwing motion, his “intent was to throw it forward,” turning what looked like an obvious fumble into a forward pass regardless of where the ball actually landed.
Reactions poured in almost immediately once the explanation aired.
“I was Week 1 2026 years old when I learned a quarterback’s intention to throw the ball forward can turn this into an incompletion. I… don’t get it,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote.
“This was a fumble or lateral pass until today,” another fan added.
“Ref show in #saints #lions game… the ball goes backwards. It’s been a fumble since the beginning of time. He ‘intended’ to throw it forward lol. Gtfo,” one user wrote.
“Lions just got away with one #NFL Rigged,” another fan posted.
“@nfl is rigged. They just make stuff up at this point. @Saints @Lions,” said another.
“WTF??? Saints got screwed! This was called a fumble and touchdown on the field but after review the refs called it back for the Lions,” Rate the Refs added.
“We have our first controversial call of the 2026 NFL season. The Saints got robbed, either way this should be a touchdown for the Saints,” one fan concluded.
This Isn’t New Orleans’ First Run-In With Officiating Controversy
New Orleans has a long history of contentious officiating decisions. The Saints lost a chance at the Super Bowl during the 2019 NFC Championship after a blatant missed pass interference call against the Rams, a moment that still gets referenced whenever questionable calls go against the franchise.
New Orleans dealt with a similarly bitter whistle months later that same year, when a fumble-return touchdown against the Rams got wiped out before review even started. Detroit ultimately punted on the ensuing drive rather than trailing by seven, a swing that shaped much of the rest of the first half.
Whether the rule itself gets revisited going forward remains unclear. For Saints fans, Sunday’s ruling likely just adds one more entry to an already long list of grievances against NFL officiating.
