The New England Patriots got a win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, but it felt like they were facing more than just one team. There's no doubt that there were some questionable calls from the referees, and one call even negated a touchdown that the Patriots had initially scored.
Drake Maye hit DeMario Douglas for a 61-yard touchdown, but after the play was over, the ref threw a flag for pass interference on Stefon Diggs, who had nothing to do with the play. When looking at the play, Diggs didn't even look to be the one who initiated the contact, but at the same time, he had nothing to do with the touchdown.
In the end, the Patriots were able to defy the odds and get the win, but head coach Mike Vrabel had a few words about the officiating job that took place.
“It becomes comical at a point,” Vrabel said on The Greg Hill Show. “They send these videos out every week and they do a great job. .. Then I'll see something in the game and I'm like, did they even watch the video?”
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, laughing about the officiating yesterday, said:
“It becomes comical at a point.”
Vrabel wonders whether NFL officials actually watch the instructional videos they’re sent … because he does.
(via @thegreghillshow)pic.twitter.com/qtXQiNWRp6 https://t.co/wPv7gAtkTH
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 13, 2025
The referees have to understand that the calls they make can decide an entire game. For them, the Patriots still won the game, but they ruined what could have been a big momentum builder for them.
Refs explain reasoning for OPI call against Patriots
After the game, referee Adrian Hill was asked in the pool report about the call that negated the Patriots' touchdown.
“On that play, we ruled blocking downfield by No. 8 early during the play,” Hill told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So, if there is a situation where a player blocks downfield, it’s not a foul until a pass is thrown, so you kind of put that in the bank. And then the pass was thrown downfield later, that created the offensive pass interference.”
The reason that many people are confused about the play is that it was called while both teams had their special team units on the field. Hill noted that since it was a long-developing play, the official had to rewind back to what happened at the start of the play, and that's when they made the decision.
There has probably never been a play that has been called that late, especially with the offense already off the field.
