New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough demonstrated noticeable progress in his performance from his first to his second year in the NFL. He led the Saints to a 24-17 win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Shough secured the decisive touchdown from the 1-yard line. New Orleans’ defense then held firm, preventing Baltimore from scoring in the final moments. However, the game’s officiating raised questions about the touchdown.
Officials ruled that Shough successfully crossed the goal line, but replay footage prompted fans to question the decision. It seemed the ball slipped from Shough’s grip as he was tackled. Additionally, a Ravens defender appeared to pull Shough down by his facemask.
“We exhausted all available angles and could not prove clear and obvious that he did not break the plane of the goal line,” said Mark Butterworth, NFL vice president of instant replay.
Despite the controversy, the Saints managed to win. Baltimore attempted to make a comeback with 1:28 remaining, but Lamar Jackson didn’t succeed in advancing his team.
Shough completed 27 of 34 passes, resulting in a touchdown pass and a rushing score, amassing 252 passing yards.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore acknowledged the difficulty of determining whether the ball crossed the goal line: “It’s a hard play on the goal line because … sometimes they lose sight of the football. I think it’s a challenging play for everyone.” He added that the team was “fortunate” to get the call.
In their previous game, the Saints narrowly lost to the Detroit Lions, with Shough completing 35 of 56 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns.
After the game, both New Orleans and Baltimore held a 1-1 record.
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