You can't script this stuff. On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints defense appeared to tie up their road game with the Detroit Lions midway through the second quarter by sacking Lions quarterback Jared Goff, forcing a fumble, and recovering it for a touchdown. But that clear-eyed result didn't hold up under instant replay.
Instead, a booth review found that Goff began his forward pass before Young crashed down on him. When Goff was spun around and thrown to the ground, the ball flew out laterally and bounced behind him. But none of that mattered. As FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira observed on the broadcast, "His intent was to throw it forward" even if the ball didn't travel that way. Play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert added that "It's ruled
as a forward pass even though the ball went backwards."
And Saints fans were livid. Instead of tying up the game, they had to settle for a punt deep into their own territory and a 7-point deficit. Here's what they had to say on social media after the result came in:
The FOX NFL explanation was that the "intent" was to throw the ball forward.
— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) September 13, 2026
So I guess every interception is actually a completion since that's the intent, too.
Because Jared Goff was extra careless with his ball security there, the refs can determine he planned to eventually throw it?
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) September 13, 2026
Rules analyst Mike Pereira says since his intent was to throw it forward, it’s a forward pass. Regardless of where ball lands. 🤷🏾♂️
— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) September 13, 2026
Officials say Goff's passing arm was in forward motion before Chase Young contacted him and rule it an incomplete pass. Young was NOT happy about that overturn on the Saints' sideline and I don't blame him. Lions get a huge break and punt the Saints deep in their territory.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) September 13, 2026
Let’s just use common sense here. The ball went backwards. I can intend to do things all the time but it went backwards. Also even if we say it was a throw, it was a backwards lateral with ball still in play. @MikePereira
— Eric (@redbloss3) September 13, 2026
@MikePereira so intent matters now? What if a QB intends to throw the ball forward but it slips out of his hand before the hand moves forward?? It wasn’t like it got deflected backwards. If this is how the rule is written, it’s written incorrectly.
— Nick Peace (@vnpeace) September 13, 2026
why does it matter what the “intent” was here?? When a qb throws a swing pass out to a rb or a screen to a wr and it’s backwards it is treated as a lateral, even though it wasn’t intended to be that way
— Kale (@kale_33__) September 13, 2026
Bs rule
Lions get an officiating gift, ball ruled a forward throw. Not sure how they came to that conclusion but I'll take it https://t.co/poePMh658x
— Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) September 13, 2026
mike pereira really just said jared goff’s “intention was to throw the ball forward so where the ball goes doesn’t matter” 😂😂 really? if that’s the case no strip sack in history when a qb has began throwing motion should count
— Trace (@yfntrace) September 13, 2026
Wait how was that not a Saints TD
— Evan Fox (@evanfoxy) September 13, 2026
Genuinely still don’t know what the **** the refs were seeing there, that’s a backwards pass!!!!!!#Saints
— SleeperSaints (@SleeperSaints) September 13, 2026
The league just saved a fumble 6 for the Lions. Utterly ridiculous. Absolute worst review call I’ve ever seen. Goff threw it backwards. It was so simple and the NFL managed to screw it up. His “intent was to throw it forward”. Yeah okay. What a joke.
— Wesh (@SirWesley4) September 13, 2026
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Fans online react to Saints losing a defensive TD to booth review
