I think it was more than that and IMO, the momentum started to shift just a wee bit before the half. The Rams only had one touchdown drive over the last 3 quarters. Goff had one decent throw to Cooks to set up the TD that cut the score to 13-10 right before the half.

Then you have to consider the radio in Goff’s helmet wasn't working, the Rams needed a fake punt just to generate a single first down, the Rams led in gaining 378-290, Rams converted just 6 out of 16 3rd downs, Todd Gurley didn't bother to show up and got benched.

The crowd noise did have an impact for at least the 1st quarter. Payton could have chosen to run the ball on first and second down. Brees could have completed the pass before the PI and he had a lead in the 4th quarter and 3 chances to put it away. Credit to Rams defense.

Yes, the PI was obvious and crucial but it didn't have to be and it wasn't THE difference maker.

Sports will break your heart.

I read a similar article but didn't come away with the same take.

"TickPick CEO Brett Goldberg says that’s about the fanbase for the Patriots, and the distance for the Rams.

For Rams fans, coming from Los Angeles “is clearly a bad thing for ticket sales because it’s a really long trip,” says Goldberg. “And that fanbase has only been around for a couple years. If you were a St. Louis Rams fan, this is no longer really relevant to you anymore.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/supe...ll-lower-from-patriots-fatigue-195336816.html

So you have old school Rams fans like me who wouldn't travel that far for the game, St Louis Ram fans who no longer care, and newer Rams fans who are just coming around. Traveling to the game or not isn't an indication that fans don't exist. Right now, Rams gear is HOT in SoCal.

Blacklanta will survive. It's become quite the destination city and has grown well outside of infrastructure capabilities.

Folks from Louisiana can drive to Atlanta. I'd say that's a major difference in comparing fan bases.

Size of population doesn't mean you can produce numbers of people willing to drop several thousand dollars on a dime and get off work, etc to travel across the country for a football game. LA has changed significantly since the Rams were here pre-St Louis. For many years we had NO pro football team and USC was the major attraction. And then futbol became the big draw. 50% of the population is hispanic. They ain't going to Atlanta to watch the Rams, lol. Most couldn't board a plane legally.

When the Rams announced they were coming back to LA, season tickets sold out in 6 hours. Games at the Coliseum have been sell-outs. But traveling to Atlanta for several days is expensive and requires some amount of job freedom. I'm not surprised at the lack of sales but it isn't because there aren't fans.

It's an ingenious publicity stunt by the attorney and naivety on the part of Saints fans who applaud it or think it has more than a snowball's chance in hell of changing anything.

To be fair, the only difference in cost in going to the Super Bowl from New Orleans as opposed to L.A. is driving as opposed to flying being a reasonable option. A round trip flight will be around $600 for coach. At least, that's what I saw. Driving will cost at least $100. That's only a difference of $500. Much less difference if flying from New Orleans instead of driving. I would GLADLY pay several hundred dollars to see my beloved Saints play in the Super Bowl. It's not like I am rich either. Far from...

Sig worthy

There were other contributing factors to the Saints loss and Rams win, but that PI *WAS* THE main factor for both.

The saints should hang that as a banner in the dome

And put it in billboards all iver Atlanta before the Superbowl.

Absolutely. Don't forget the uncalled shot to Drew's face on the OT INT. I don't understand how you could even argue against those 2 non-calls being the BIGGEST FACTORS of the game.

Don't even tell me the Saints should've scored touchdowns and not kicked field goals either because you could apply that same exact logic to the Rams. We won that game and had it straight up taken from us...