The NFL told Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay that the pass interference call on Josh Wallace late in Sunday night’s game against the Broncos absolutely should not have happened. That’s the word from McVay himself, and it’s a wild revelation after that penalty essentially decided the Rams’ 30-26 loss to Denver.
That Game-Changing Flag: What Really Went Down
Picture this: It’s the final minutes of Sunday’s game in Denver. Rams are clinging to a lead. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix throws a pass, and Josh Wallace looks like he just snagged a huge interception for the Rams. Ballgame, right? Nope. The refs threw a flag for pass interference on Wallace. That call wiped out the interception, gave the Broncos a first-and-goal, and guess what happened next? Denver marched in for the go-ahead touchdown, sealing their win.
At first glance, it might have looked like a penalty, but on closer inspection? Nah. Even NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay, the dude who literally gets paid to break down these calls, was convinced it shouldn’t have been flagged. This wasn’t some minor foul, either. This was a play that flipped the script on an entire game.
What Could’ve Been, And McVay’s Honest Take
Think about the stakes: If Wallace’s interception had stood, the Rams would have taken possession at their own 8-yard line, leading 26-23, with only 69 seconds left on the clock. Yeah, the Broncos still had three timeouts, but getting the ball back with that kind of lead, that late in the game, would have put the Rams in a prime spot to ice it. Instead, they watched Denver score and hold on for the win.
Despite the league’s admission that the call was busted, McVay isn’t playing the victim. He made it clear on Monday, saying, “It doesn’t really matter. It is what it is. That was the call that was made and there was a lot of opportunities that we had to be able to close the door on that game.” He even added, “But I wouldn’t have any additional coaching points for how Josh [Wallace] plays through the cycle of the snap. But I’m not going to make excuses either and we’re not going to play the victim card.”
So here we are. The penalty still stands, the Rams still took the loss, and they’re sitting at a 1-2 record early in the season. Even with the NFL basically saying, “Oops, our bad,” nothing changes the outcome. The season just moves on. You gotta love McVay’s honesty, but man, it’s gotta sting knowing a game-deciding call was straight-up wrong.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply