The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are facing off in a Thursday Night Football game that has major ramifications not just in the NFC West, but also for the entire NFC. Each team enters the showdown with a record of 11-3, and the winner would be in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the conference.
So, this is the kind of game where you really don’t want to see questionable officiating making an impact, but that’s exactly what happened with a penalty in the first quarter. And Prime Video rules analyst Terry McAulay voiced his disagreement with the call.
On fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford found tight end Terrance Ferguson in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. However, officials called an illegal man downfield penalty against Los Angeles offensive lineman Justin Dedich, taking the touchdown off the board. That gave the Rams fourth-and-goal from the five and forced the Rams to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown.
“Terry, not often do you see illegal man downfield from the half-yard line,” Prime Video play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said. “What happened here?”
“You don’t. And this really isn’t a foul,” McAulaay responded. “He blocks a defensive line on line, and he can drive in as far as he wants. He comes off contact, and the defender actually pushes him by and forces him beyond that yard. So, it really isn’t a foul for him being illegally downfield because of that action.”
“I think (Rams head coach) Sean McVay agrees with you,” Michaels responded. “A thousand percent. So does Stafford.”
Stafford and Ferguson did go on to connect for a touchdown that actually counted in the second quarter to give the Rams the lead.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.