Not pass interference NEW ORLEANS, LA – OCTOBER 16: Ted Ginn #19 of the Carolina Panthers is tackled by Kenny Vaccaro #32 of the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 16, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Should pass interference penalties be reviewable under the NFL’s instant replay parameters? New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has been an advocate for that, and he continued that stance again on Monday.

At the risk of turning yet another play into a reviewable slog, Payton is in favor of the league considering making pass interference reviewable.

“It has been (discussed) and for good reason, and let’s hope that that at some point is (addressed) sooner than later,” Payton said on a teleconference Monday. “Listen, it’s been brought up and discussed by a number of clubs, and I think the Competition Committee needs to spend a lot more time thinking about that specific call is so critical to get right.”

Payton’s comments come a day after Kenny Vaccaro was flagged for pass interference on a fourth-down pass play by the Carolina Panthers. The pass intended for tight end Greg Olsen ended up moving the Panthers to the New Orleans one-yard line rather than result in a turnover on downs. Replays suggested Vaccaro made a clean play on the ball by turning his head to make a play on the pass from Cam Newton. The officials did not see it that way and kept the drive alive for the Panthers.

On the plus side, there are a number of interference penalties that always seem to be questionable calls. Because these calls are made in real time, it can sometimes be difficult to see the full sequence unfold and small details like how the defender plays the ball can be missed at full speed. Being able to review a critical call under the instant replay system could help overturn some of these bad calls, just as they do turnovers. Of course, it would also lead to another opportunity to slow a game down.

You can make a case a coach should be able to challenge any number of calls in a game not currently reviewable for one reason or another. A pass interference pantly being reviewed may not be a terrible idea, so long as it is the coach and only the coach making the call to challenge and review the play. But then coaches are putting their trust in the replay crew to be able to use their own common sense in making a decision, and that is always a risky proposition.

[NOLA.com]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.