Last season’s NFC Championship game between the Saints and Rams at the Superdome went down to the wire, but it will unfortunately be remembered for an officiating mistake. The favored Saints, led by the 40-year-old Drew Brees, went up 13-0 after a quarter, and led 20-10 midway through the third. With five minutes left in the game, the Rams tied it on a Greg Zuerlein field goal. Brees led the Saints down the field into Rams territory and they seemed destined to reach the end zone. On a 3rd-and-10 at the Rams' 13, Brees threw a pass near the right sideline intended for Tommylee Lewis. But before the ball arrived, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman hit Lewis hard and in plain sight – a clear case of pass interference – as the ball fell incomplete. Referees did not call a penalty, though, and the Saints instead had to settle for a 31-yard field goal and a 23-20 lead with 1:41 left. That enabled the Rams to quickly drive the ball downfield and tie it on a 48-yard Zuerlein field goal to force overtime. In the extra period, Zuerlein easily made another field goal – this time from 57 yards, the longest game-winning field goal in playoff history to win, 26-23, and send the Rams to Super Bowl 53. ― NFL 100
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