Saints Mailbox: Changing Calls at the Line, Overturning "The Call"?

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We get all sorts of questions and comments from you. Each Wednesday, we will answer your most pressing and interesting questions (or comment on your comments) about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.

From the Saints On SI Mailbag, from Juggler asks On the sack fumble with Lions up 7-0, why didn't the bad reverse call get overturned by head of officials?

We have bad news for you, Juggler: the replay review was coordinated with the NFL's centralized replay command in New York. The replay official at Ford Field did not make the decision by himself. The Detroit replay official worked in consultation with the NFL's VP of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth, who we assume has a wife who likes syrup.

Though the rule is convoluted and confusing at best, the people in the Big Apple decided the backward-traveling loose ball was an incomplete forward pass because Lions QB Jared Goff had already initiated his upward throwing motion before Chase Young made contact.

This rule, buried so deeply in the NFL rulebook that no coach or player on the field knew of its existence, may be, in our humble opinion, one of most asinine rules concocted by any league.

So, while traveling to Baltimore this weekend, be wary. Do not expectorate on the sidewalks while there. You might get a ticket, as it is illegal to do so there. Really.

From the Saints On SI mailbag, Saint Russ asks What % of plays are changed when team leaves the huddle and lines up. Does the QB make the decision to change, or, is he notified from the sideline?

Great question. We had to make sure we had this correct before answering you.

The NFL rule is when the play clock reaches the 15-seconds left mark, the coach-to-quarterback helmet communication is cut off. If the team gets to the line earlier and the center hikes the ball, the mic is cut off the instant the ball is snapped.

There is a tech cart on the sideline that has an indicator light that turns from green, when communications are being made and allowed, to yellow, showing when the signal is disabled.

As for how often plays are changed at the line of scrimmage, teams do not release their charting data or official team metrics of the exact amount of times Tyler Shough changes plays. The specific rate of his pre-snap audibles remains proprietary team data. You don't want to give away that kind of info to the bad guys.

While the play is called in the huddle, Shough is given options to change the call at the line of scrimmage if the defense is in a formation not expected when the play was called. His options are limited, such as, if he sees a formation from the defense that has shown blitz during his film study, he can motion for his running back to join him on the side of him he thinks the blitz might be coming.

Shough also has specific, subtle hand signals that he has with his wideouts, like tapping his helmet or wiping his jersey, or a hand signal that will tell them to run a different route because of how the secondary is set up.

We have heard him shout out "Check! Check!" at the line of scrimmage and "Kill! Kill!" with a slicing motion of his hand across his throat to indicate a complete change of a play call, again, though, only to specific plays he and Kellen Moore have walked through. As the youngster matures, expect him to be given more free rein in making the play changes at the line.

From the Saints On SI Mailbag, from Ed Helsinki: Good or bad, what’s been surprising about the Saints so far this season?

For us, we see a lingering issue that needs to be addressed on both sides of the ball: the run game.

Offensively, when you have a back like Travis Etienne Jr who has tremendous speed and agility, he needs to be given a chance on sweeps and off tackle runs. All but one of A-Chan's efforts in the nine rushes he had on Sunday came right into the teeth of the Detroit defense. And remember: the Saints were only down 7-0 in the first half, so opportunities to show off Etienne's speed were there in the first thirty-minutes of play.

On the defensive side, we can say the Saints were going up against one of the elite backs in the NFL last week in Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs. Then again, they have Derrick Henry to contend with this weekend in Baltimore. Last year's Achilles heel was defending the rush. If this is still the Saints' weakness on defense, this will be a long year.

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Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.

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