SEATTLE -- The New Orleans Saints missed several opportunities in a 23-15 season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. But one that stood out among the most inexplicable was the last play of the game -- receiver Marques Colston’s forward lateral.

Colston could have stepped out of bounds at the Seahawks' 38-yard line with about four seconds remaining. Instead, he turned toward the middle of the field and fired a forward lateral toward running back Travaris Cadet. The penalty came with an automatic 10-second runoff.

Afterward, Colston declined to speak with the media. And coach Sean Payton didn't offer an explanation, saying only, "We'll look at the film. Next question."

It's unclear if Colston lost track of the clock or if that was the play that was called when the ball was snapped with 11 seconds remaining. Either way, nobody was about to pin the Saints' mistake-filled loss on that one play.