Another week, another NFL game decided by a garbage pass interference flag, and honestly, are we even surprised anymore? Just this past Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams got absolutely hosed against the Denver Broncos. Rams cornerback Josh Wallace picked off a Bo Nix pass in the red zone, just over a minute left on the clock. Game-winning interception, right? Nah. PI flag flies, extends the drive, and the Broncos walk off with the game-winning touchdown. Seriously, NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay even said Wallace shouldn’t have been flagged, and if anything, it looked like offensive PI on Broncos receiver Pat Bryant.
Coaches Are Fed Up, Or Are They?
You’d think after seeing that kind of call, coaches would be screaming for reviewability, but not everyone’s on board. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, a guy who’s seen his share of PI drama, has a wild take. He’s totally fine with pass interference *not* being a challenge anymore. “I’m all good with it not being a challenge anymore,” Campbell said, straight up. “Those guys have got to make the call, and you’ve got to live with it.” That’s a pretty strong stance, especially considering his history with this exact issue.
The Ghosts of PI Past Still Haunt Us
Campbell isn’t just talking out of nowhere, either. He was on the New Orleans Saints coaching staff back in 2018 when they got absolutely robbed in the NFC Championship Game. Remember that one? Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman absolutely laid out Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis *before* the ball got there, clear as day pass interference, but no flag. It was a brutal no-call with less than two minutes left in a tie game, and the Saints lost in overtime. That screw-up was so bad, the league actually tried to fix it by letting coaches challenge PI calls for one year. But guess what? That whole experiment was a massive flop. Out of 81 challenged calls that season, only 13 actually got overturned. Thirteen! Campbell knows it too. He believes it didn’t solve anything, just dragged the games out longer.
It’s All Just Too “Muddy”
Why’s Campbell so against reviewing it now? He put it simply: it gets “muddy.” “I just know when we tried to do this whole thing, it just gets muddy, man,” he explained. “It’s so subjective, is what happens.” He’s right, it’s like the whole “catch, no catch” debate all over again. The officials have a rule, but when it’s a 50-50 situation, they’re always gonna stick with the original call. And all those extra challenges? They just extend the game, leaving everyone waiting around for a verdict that rarely changes anything. Adding insult to injury, the Lions themselves have been hammered by PI flags this season, getting called for a league-high number through three weeks. Talk about a double whammy for Campbell.
So, while fans are still ripping their hair out over game-changing pass interference calls, it seems like the guys on the sidelines are just telling us to suck it up. With coaches like Campbell throwing in the towel on challenging these calls, it feels like we’re stuck in this “muddy” mess. Are we ever gonna get clarity on these calls, or are we just gonna keep seeing seasons shaped by controversial flags?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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