![New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) was dumped by Minnesota Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn (24) and strong safety Robert Blanton (36) in the third quarter . Munnerlyn was flagged for unnessary roughness on the play. The Minnesota Vikings played the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Sunday September 21 , 2014 in New Orleans ,LA. ] Jerry Holt Jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/6DINBMBIF3J5GFNEYTCEAQR54Q.jpg?&w=1080)
The biggest moment in the Vikings' 20-9 loss to the Saints at the Superdome on Sunday was a controversial penalty that killed the second half momentum the Vikings built.
Down 13-9 with 14 seconds left in the third quarter, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and safety Robert Blanton sacked Saints quarterback Drew Brees on 3rd and 13. Munnerlyn lifted Brees up off the ground and threw him down viciously, prompting Brees to jump up and shove Blanton in frustration.
Munnerlyn was called for unnecessary roughness, extending the drive that ended on an 18-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Marques Colston seven plays later.
"I tried to get an answer from the referees, but they really wouldn't talk to me," Munnerlyn said. "I know coach will turn the play in and he'll let me know what they say. I feel like I let my teammates down because it changed the game. At the end of the day, they called the penalty. That doesn't mean I have to agree with the penalty, but they called it."
Head coach Mike Zimmer said he spoke to referee Walt Anderson after the play, and he felt Munnerlyn threw Brees down with force. Anderson also said he blew the whistle once Munnerlyn and Blanton wrapped up Brees.
They Vikings had held the Saints scoreless since the first quarter and reeled off three field goals to draw within four points before Colston scored.
"I thought we had good momentum going on," Zimmer said. "We were frustrating them a little bit offensively. I think we would've had good field position. Who knows, but they were a lot better than we were today."
