The 49ers took advantage of an NFL rule to avoid pass interference on Saints fake punt

It was a smart play.

The New Orleans Saints were on the wrong end of one of the more egregious pass interference no-calls in recent memory, which led to pass interference becoming a reviewable play. So, as you should expect, Saints fans are extra sensitive to any no-call that goes against them.

But during Sunday’s showdown between New Orleans and the San Francisco 49ers, the NFL officials were right to keep the penalty flags in their pockets. And the Niners were smart to take advantage of the rule.

Late in the third quarter, the Saints lined up in a punt formation and called a fake with Taysom Hill attempting a pass to Tre’Quan Smith. Tarvarius Moore, though, was all over Smith as the pass fell incomplete. There were no flags, and the Saints fans in New Orleans were livid. Those Saints fans, though, didn’t know the rule.

Per NFL rules, when the offense lines up in a punting formation, defensive pass interference cannot be called. Otherwise teams would be able to run fake punts with passes to the gunner in hopes of drawing easy pass interference penalties.

The Niners evidently knew that and didn’t let Smith get any space to make an attempt at the catch. Though a holding penalty arguably could have been called, that wasn’t a reviewable penalty.

Still, there was plenty of confusion over the no-call with even NFL Red Zone’s Scott Hanson completely baffled and unaware of the rule. Other fans had no idea that pass interference could not be called on a fake punt.