Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams emerged from their Week 16 “Thursday Night Football” showdown against the Seattle Seahawks with several lingering questions, particularly over how the game was officiated.
Stafford was not alone, with Rams head coach Sean McVay making a pointed note during his postgame press conference.
Still, the QB made it a point to highlight several calls he was unsure about.
Matthew Stafford Questions Calls After Rams’ Loss to Seahawks
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Stafford and the Rams came out on the wrong side of another polarizing decision by the officials. The Rams seemingly stopped the Seahawks’ 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter, preserving a 30-28 lead.
Upon further review, though, the play was reversed.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold threw a backward pass. Therefore, the ball was live when running back Zach Charbonnet picked it up in the end zone, completing the 2-point conversion.
“I’d love–I just want to know that rule,” Stafford told reporters postgame. “I thought, on plays like that two-minute play, or two-point plays inside of two minutes and stuff, I didn’t think you’re allowed to advance a fumble. Otherwise, I think everybody would just go down. If you’re going down, just fumble it forward and let somebody else advance. I obviously don’t know the rule well enough. I’m sure they talked to New York or whatever. But that one was interesting to me.”
Broadcast rules analyst Terry McAulay explained the situation before officials even began reviewing the play in real-time. He also took to social media to further clarify what happened.
Notably, it was not a “fumble” at all, but rather a backward pass, which mattered tremendously.
“When a backward pass is ruled forward and incomplete, Replay can reverse if there is a clear recovery in the immediate continuing action,” McAulay posted on X on December 18. “The recovering team is awarded the ball at the spot of recovery.”
McAulay also explained that the whistle, which many fans assumed signaled the official end of the play (i.e., playing through the echo of the whistle), is “completely irrelevant.”
He shared a previous post from 2023, which noted that whistles are mostly procedural.
That is relevant because part of McVay’s argument postgame was that the Rams had stopped the play. Both teams were preparing for the ensuing kickoff when officials began their review of the conversion.
Matthew Stafford Doubles Down on Officiating Questions
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before a game against the Carolina Panthers.
The conversion was not the only rough outcome for Stafford and the Rams, though. Stafford completed 59.2% of his passes for a season-high 457 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.
His line is notable, given he did not have Davante Adams (hamstring) available.
It would have been even better if his fourth-quarter pass to rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson stood as a touchdown. Instead, a penalty for an ineligible player (Justin Dedich) downfield negated it.
“Thought he scored on the one,” Stafford said. “I guess we had a guy downfield. I have to take a look at that one. Tough one there.”
McAulay agreed, telling Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit, “This really isn’t a foul. He blocks a defensive line online, and he can drive in as far as he wants. He comes off contact, and the defender actually pushes him by him and forces him beyond that yard. So, it really isn’t a foul for him being illegally downfield, because of that action.”
Matthew Stafford Sends Message to Rams
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Stafford and Co. tumbled down the NFC standings, going from first to fifth, while the Seahawks took over the top spot. Now, LA needs help to get back the home-field advantage they also lost in the defeat. Stafford is not losing faith in this group, though, not by any stretch.
“Go play,” he said when asked if this loss was challenging, given the implications. “Where are we playing? Who we playing? Put the ball down. Prepare. Go play. That’s the attitude this team’s had since Day 1. It’s the attitude we’re going to have till the last game we play this year,” Stafford said.
“Respect everybody. Fear nobody. Go play.”
Asked what he hopes to see in how this Rams team, which has now lost four games all season, bounces back, Stafford was direct.
“Just like every game, whether we win the game or lose the game, there’s plenty to learn from. Plenty of plays we’d love to have back in, probably, all three phases. So, we’re going to do what we always do: look at the tape, find a way to tweak a couple things, to find a way to be better. Play for each other, and continue to go out and play. That’s the best part about this team,” Stafford said. “This team’s as steady as it gets.”
“I’m proud to be a part of it. Proud of the effort that we had together today. And tough one for sure. But we’ll move on, and play who we got next.”
Rams’ Matthew Stafford Sends Strong Message After Costly Loss