Talk about spread-busters. Ernie Conwell catches a pass with just under 2 minutes left in yesterday’s Saints-Rams game. He’s tackled at the 33. He’s lying on the ground, on his back, elbow on the turf. Mike Furrey jumps in and rips the ball out of his hands and runs down the field for a TD. Rams 28, Saints 17.

So, NFL, think your re-play system works? The ball was snapped with 2:02 on the clock, so technically the play couldn’t be reviewed under the league’s 2-minute booth review rule. And since the Saints were out of time-outs they couldn’t challenge the call either.

So what happened? The biggest joke in NFL gambling since Doug Brien’s missed FG. The Rams covered the game (at least at the number I bet).

I’ve seen a lot of bad calls, but this one takes the cake. Get ready for it, cause here it comes. This call, my friends, was the worst in the history of professional sports. Doug Eddings has nothing on this one. At least the ball may have bounced. Conwell was on his back with his elbow down for at least 1-Mississippi (maybe 2) before Furrey jumped in and took it away.

Even Chris Berman agrees. What an absolute disgrace. The fact that officials decide games on a regular basis with ridiculous 3rd or 4th down illegal contact penalties is already enough to make you sick. But to flagrantly miss an easy, easy call and serve the game up to the other team is too much.

I don’t care how long the game takes to play. On critical plays (TDs and 4th down plays) there should be a system of unlimited replays. There’s no reason to penalize a team for using their time-outs, and even fewer reasons to penalize a team for challenging blown calls. Give the refs the discretion to challenge their own calls. If one official think another has blown a call then let’s see it challenged.

The fact that no one on the field seemed to see what was obvious to EVERY SINGLE home-viewer is, in itself, unbelievable. You just have to think that no one was watching. And if they were then the implications are equally sinister.

Forget about gambling. I can live without the $10. But the idiocy of some of these officials is galling. Make the right calls, or go home. This isn’t some backyard game you’re calling.