Pool Reporter Quotes With Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron

(On the play with 6:08 left in the second quarter where an incomplete pass was reviewed and determined to be a fumble)

Holder: Can you give an explanation of the call and what happened?

Riveron: “The ruling on the field was that of an incomplete pass outside of two minutes, challenged by New Orleans. Like every other replay, we look at every reviewable aspect of the play. In this situation, after looking at all of the angles afforded to us, it was clear and obvious that it was a fumble.  However, by rule, we can give it to the defense if there’s a clear recovery.  Since we blew the whistle for an incomplete pass, by rule, we cannot give them the advance. So, after we looked at it and we changed the ruling on the field, we gave the ball to the defense on the 13-yard line, and we do not charge them with a timeout.”

Holder: How much of an emphasis is there on letting the plays continue to avoid situations like this?

Riveron: “In this situation of a pass/fumble as it pertains to the quarterback, mechanically and philosophically, we tell the referees to let it play out because we can always come back and make it an incomplete pass. As it happened here, we blow the whistle early, so the most we can do is give the ball to the defense with a clear recovery.”

Holder: So, you do try to emphasize letting a play like that play out, but once the whistle blows, the most you can do is give the ball to the team who made a clear recovery?

Riveron: “That is correct. Again, we tell our referees, when in doubt, to let it play out. If it is an incomplete pass, we can always come back and make it an incomplete pass. In this situation as it occurs here, the most we can do is give the ball to the defense, but we cannot, by rule, give them the advance. All we can do is give them the ball at the spot of the clear recovery.”