Five years ago, the Saints got screwed out of a berth in the Super Bowl by a bad call against the Rams in the NFC Championship. The officials missed a blatant instance of pass interference near the end of regulation, which led eventually to New Orleans losing in overtime.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone played for the Saints that day. As he prepares for his return to the NFC Championship as a member of the Lions, Jim Rome asked Anzalone about any advice he has for younger players who are preparing for such a hype-filled contest.
“The biggest thing that I’ve learned from that experience is don’t leave the game up in the hands of the referee,” Anzalone said with a laugh.
He was joking, but it’s a great point. Bad calls turn a win into a loss only if the game is close enough that one bad call changes it. To avoid the possibility entirely of a bad call screwing a given team, it’s important to take control of the game.
It won’t be easy to leave no margin for officiating error against the 49ers. But that’s the best insurance against getting screwed with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line.
