Sean Payton pushes for replay changes: We need to be better

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton believes implementing changes to the NFL's instant replay system would show the league is ready to make amends for the missed call that helped cost his team an appearance in the Super Bowl.

Payton also commented on the message that would be sent if officiating changes are not made this offseason.

"Then ownership is saying they're comfortable with what happened a year ago," Payton said during league meetings in Phoenix, referring to that infamous play when Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman contacted Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis prior to the arrival of a pass, according to ESPN's Mike Triplett.

Payton didn't stop there, as he also suggested officials need to be hired as full-time employees.

"There are a handful of things that we've got to be better at right now," he said. "Our best at playing and our best at coaching are spending 20 hours, 18 hours a day. Our best at officiating, it's their second job. That has to change, because it's too hard, there's too much at stake for someone who's a teacher at a school, who's a florist, an attorney. That's backward thinking.

"And really as we move forward into the next 10 years, for instance, of our game, where do we want officiating? With all of the technology we have available to us, our fans are closer to the game, our fans are way more in tuned and educated as to the correct calls in the game. And we just need to be better."

The NFL's competition committee has brought forth proposals that would allow pass interference calls to be made reviewable, as well as roughing the passer and unnecessary hits against a defenseless receiver calls.