Saints defensive end Carl Granderson drilled Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart for what looked like a sack on Sunday. But the referee threw a roughing the passer flag on Granderson, nullifying the sack and giving the Giants a first down. The Saints were not happy.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore was telling the officials during the game that they had the call wrong and Granderson’s sack was clean, and afterward Moore said he wasn’t sure what the referee saw that led him to throw his flag.
“[I saw a sack](https://www.nola.com/auth0-redirect?returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fsports%2Fsaints%2Fsaints-kellen-moore-carl-granderson-roughing-passer%2Farticle_43a81c0b-9784-4138-b671-a05d472f7a6f.html&error=login_required&error_description=Login%20required&state=LTJsR2RoaDNxMWJWTkt3enZTdkUyMzB5WGpzSGRsRjFDbzhLamU5UEpzZA%3D%3D),” Moore said, via NoLa.com. “It’s disappointing because you’re trying to educate your players. As a coach, when you don’t feel like you don’t have an answer to help educate your players on how to play the game, that’s frustrating.”
Saints defensive end Cam Jordan was more blunt.
“Carl Granderson was robbed,” Jordan yelled in the locker room after the game.
For his part, Granderson said he didn’t think he did anything wrong but understands the referee’s job isn’t easy.
“I was just playing fast,” Granderson said. “The referees just doing their jobs and I am trying to do my job. I don’t know what the flag was for, necessarily. I’m going to watch it again. I don’t know if led with my head or hit him too hard or what.”
The Saints won the game, and the penalty didn’t make a big difference. But it was a penalty that the Saints would like the league’s officiating office to explain.