The Titans think someone on the Saints’ sideline was blowing a whistle to confuse them during Sunday’s game.
Offensive lineman Jake Scott told Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com that Dean McCondichie, who produces the Titans All Access TV show, has audio evidence of the whistle via a player who was wearing a microphone.
“Dean’s got it on tape,” Scott said. “Somebody was blowing a whistle on the sideline. There is audio of it, so we’ll let it go from there. The second to last drive I think.”
McCondichie confirmed that.
“During the game we heard this whistle blowing, but they weren’t stopping the game, they just kept playing,” McCondichie said. “They were loud enough for me to hear it on the microphone on him. They were all trying to figure out why play continued. I asked them if they knew where it came from and they said the New Orleans bench. Nobody saw it, but it was pretty loud and it was definitely a whistle.”
Just because the Titans heard a whistle doesn’t mean the Saints blew one. The whistle could have come from a fan in the stands behind the Saints’ bench. And the Titans aren’t blaming the whistle for their loss. But they do believe the Saints were engaged in some funny business. The Saints have not commented on the issue.
Titans receiver Nate Washington also accused Saints safety Roman Harper of playing dirty, including facemasking Titans receiver Damian Williams.
“Honestly, he’s a dirty player,” Washington said. “We watched film on him, he’s dirty. And I don’t appreciate it, I’m going to step out in public and say it: He’s dirty. That was dirty what he did, it’s unfortunate that he grabbed the facemask -- at the same time you don’t walk over a guy and nudge him with your knee. You don’t do that. That’s dirty. And honestly, that’s a dirty player, flat out. This is not just one game. He’s been doing it all season. And I’m tired of it. I hope the league did something about it.”
We’ll see this week if the league has any response to any of the Titans’ complaints.