“Would be in Jail if he did this to Mahomes!” – Sam Darnold impeded by facemask no-call in loss to Rams sends fans into frenzy

Los Angeles Rams were not called for a facemask penalty which denied Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold a chance to tie the game.

“Would be in Jail if he did this to Mahomes!” – Sam Darnold impeded by facemask no-call in loss to Rams sends fans into frenzy

Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold was pulled down by his facemask (Image via NFL on CBS/X)

Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings entered Thursday Night Football with a goal to return to their winning ways. Their narrow loss to the Detroit Lions proved they are still one of the better teams in the league. But when going up against a back-to-prime-health Los Angeles Rams, they knew they had to be at their best.

Up until the start of the fourth quarter, the game was down to just a one-point deficit. But then, Matthew Stafford and his teammates marched down the field to score a touchdown to increase the deficit. On the next drive, the Rams forced the Vikings’ punting team to take over. Nevertheless, the vaunted Vikings defense returned the favor as they also forced the Rams to punt.

YouTube video

On the very next drive starting with 1:46 left in the game, Sam Darnold could not complete his first attempt. On the next play, the Rams again rushed four, but outside linebacker Byron Young, who started way outside the hashes, overcame two tackles to get into the backfield. As Darnold tried to wriggle away, Young’s left hand caught his helmet and dragged him down for a safety.

FS Video

As he lay on the turf, the quarterback yelled at the officials, indicating he was pulled down by touching his facemask. Even commentators watching the replay acknowledged that it was a clear penalty that should have been called. But because the replay official did not indicate the need for a review, the Minnesota Vikings could not challenge the play.

Instead, the Los Angeles Rams jumped into a 10-point lead after that safety. Matthew Stafford then took over and proceeded to take the knee three times. What mattered to fans was that missed facemask no-call.

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Sam Darnold not getting facemask penalty leaves fans furious

If the officials had called the penalty, Sam Darnold and his offensive teammates would have gained 15 yards. It would have been easier for them to then tackle the tired Rams’ defense with slow drives down the field. Darnold could have Justin Jefferson on short routes to inflict damage until they reached the end zone.

Los Angeles Rams went on to win despite Justin Jefferson's stellar outing
Los Angeles Rams went on to win despite Justin Jefferson’s stellar outing (Image via Imago)

If they could have turned that into a touchdown and scored on a subsequent two-point play, the game could have gone to overtime. Fans know all this could have happened if not for the referee’s mistake. They were furious and took their frustrations out on social media. Below are some examples of those comments;

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Another week in the NFL, and an officiating mistake defined another game. Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings might be kicking themselves for being unable to capitalize on some of their struggles. But their demeanor towards the officiating mistake could boil over in interviews.