Ref Bill Vinovich: I Didn't See Missed PI Call; Play's Timing Didn't Have Impact

Referee Bill Vinovich probably isn't going to make New Orleans Saints fans feel any better about their team's 26-23 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

According to Amie Just of the Times-Picayune, Vinovich said he didn't see the controversial non-pass interference call during the Saints' final possession of regulation. He called it a "judgment call by the official" and added the timing of the game "absolutely" did not impact the call.

New Orleans was in position when it could have potentially run out the clock and kicked a game-winning field goal on its final possession if the officials made the obvious pass interference call on Nickell Robey-Coleman, who hit receiver Tommylee Lewis well before Drew Brees' third-down pass arrived.

Instead, New Orleans settled for a field goal to go up three, and the Rams answered with a 48-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein to force overtime. Zuerlein then sent Los Angeles to the Super Bowl with a 57-yard field goal in the extra period after the Rams defense intercepted Brees.

Saints coach Sean Payton told reporters: "Just getting off the phone with the league office. They blew the call." He also said, "I don't know if there was ever a more obvious pass interference call." He added: "We'll probably never get over it."

Even Robey-Coleman admitted to reporters he "got there too early" when discussing the non-call.

New Orleans still had opportunities to win the game outside of its final possession of regulation. A timely defensive stop after it went ahead by three with the late field goal would have been enough, and it stalled in the red zone numerous times earlier in the game after controlling much of the proceedings at home.

Still, a blatantly missed call in a championship setting will not be forgotten anytime soon, even if Vinovich said he didn't see it.