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Saints head coach Kellen Moore criticized referee Alan Eck after the game against the New York Giants, calling it a major turning point — and said that if the team hadn’t adjusted in time, their win could’ve been a lot tougher. New Orleans, October 5, 2025 Though the New Orleans Saints defeated the New York Giants 26–14, head coach Kellen Moore didn’t hide his frustration when addressing what he called a “ridiculous and unacceptable” penalty call by the officiating crew during the game. The incident occurred in the third quarter when Carl Granderson beat Giants tackle Evan Neal clean off the edge and brought down rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart with a textbook sack — no helmet-to-helmet contact, no late hit, no unnecessary force.But to the disbelief of everyone inside Caesars Superdome, referee Alan Eck threw a flag and called it “roughing the passer.” The penalty erased a key defensive stop and cost the Saints 15 yards. When asked about the play in his postgame press conference, Moore responded sharply yet controlled: “I saw a sack.”“We coach our players to play fast, physical, and smart. Carl did everything right — perfect technique, perfect timing. And yet he gets punished for that? That’s not football anymore — that’s confusion for players, coaches, and fans alike.” Moore went on to stress the larger issue behind the call: “I’ve always respected player safety — we all do. But when clean defensive plays start getting flagged, it changes the spirit of the game. You can’t teach players to do the right thing and then penalize them for doing it.” Fans quickly voiced their outrage online. “That was one of the softest calls of the season,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Granderson did everything right, and the refs are just overprotecting the quarterback.” Had the sack stood, Granderson would currently lead the NFL with 5.5 sacks instead of sitting tied for third — a stat that could directly affect his contract incentives. The NFL has yet to issue a statement on the call, but Saints fans — and their head coach — are demanding answers. For Kellen Moore, this wasn’t about one play, but about fairness and integrity: “We’ll celebrate the win, sure — but I’ll always stand up for my guys when the game stops being fair. What Carl did tonight, that’s exactly how defensive football should be played.” ⚜️ Moore’s message was clear: the Saints may have won on the scoreboard, but fairness in football still matters most.