The New Orleans Saints fell to the Las Vegas Raiders 35-27 on September 27, 2026, marking the second time this season the team lost a game impacted by a controversial quarterback fumble ruling. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough lost a fumble in the pocket during the loss, reigniting frustration within the organization regarding how officials apply passing and fumbling rules on the field.
Controversial Fumble Call Shadows Saints Loss to Raiders
During Sunday night’s matchup at the Caesars Superdome, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough attempted a pass while under pressure from Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Malcolm Koonce. As Shough brought his arm forward, Koonce hit his arm, dislodging the football. Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby recovered the loose ball.
Referee crew members reviewed the play and determined it was a fumble rather than an incomplete pass. Mark Butterworth, the NFL’s vice president of instant replay, explained in a pool report that the defender’s right hand hit both the ball and Shough’s hand, noting that the quarterback clearly lost control of the ball before his hand began moving forward.
“I thought I threw it. Me, personally, I thought my arm was going forward,” Shough said after the game. “I’m not exactly sure on the rule. It doesn’t really matter to me. I’ve got to get it out sooner regardless.”
Parallels to Week 1 Rule Enforcement
The ruling brought back frustration from the Saints’ Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions, where a similar play went against New Orleans. In that game, Saints edge rusher Chase Young sacked Lions quarterback Jared Goff, resulting in a loose ball returned for a touchdown. Officials overturned that play on the field, ruling it an incomplete pass due to a rule stating any intentional movement of a quarterback’s hand initiates a forward pass, even if the ball travels backward.
During Sunday’s game, as Saints fans voiced their displeasure through boos, the Caesars Superdome videoboard focused on Young, who shook his head and mimicked throwing an incomplete pass.
“I thought his intent was he threw it forward,” Young said in the locker room, emphasizing the word intent. “But never mind.”
Impact on the Saints’ Early Season Record
The defeat drops the Saints to a 1-2 record early in the 2026 NFL season, while the Raiders improved to 3-0.