Los Angeles, Calif. – After a controversial defensive pass interference (DPI) call cost the Rams a late‑game victory against the Denver Broncos, head coach Sean McVay said the NFL has officially acknowledged the mistake. The penalty, which nullified an interception and gave Denver a first down, set up the Broncos’ winning touchdown with under a minute left.
What happened on the play
With the Rams leading 26‑23, the Broncos faced a third‑and‑6 at the Los Angeles 11‑yard line with 1:15 remaining. Receiver Pat Bryant ran toward the right sideline, where he and Rams cornerback Josh Wallace made contact. Wallace intercepted the ball, but officials threw a flag for DPI, erasing the turnover and awarding Denver a fresh set of downs.
Six plays later, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix dove into the end zone for a one‑yard touchdown, putting Denver ahead 30‑26 with 47 seconds left. The Rams could not recover, and the loss dropped them to 1‑2 on the season.
Rams seek league feedback
Following the game, the Rams submitted the play to the NFL’s post‑game review process. The league responded that Wallace should not have been flagged for DPI. McVay praised the league’s willingness to provide feedback, saying, “The goal is to just get good, consistent feedback. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters to me is how to educate our players.”
He added, “Whether it was or wasn’t right, that wasn’t the point. The call was made and that was what the call was. What I am interested in is if there’s any sort of feedback that says this is in alignment with what would be correctly officiated as a DPI, here’s the coaching points that you want your DBs or your backend guys to be able to have.”
Player perspective
Pat Bryant later discussed the play on the “Xfinity Monday Live” show with host Romi Bean, admitting he tried to draw a penalty. “It was a little pass interference,” Bryant said. “I did sell it just enough, you know what I’m saying, to get the flag… It’s something that a lot of people do in this league, so kinda used it to my advantage.”
Looking ahead
The Rams travel to Philadelphia on Sunday to face the Eagles, who sit 2‑1. Denver also heads to the San Francisco 49ers, who are 3‑0, for their next game. Both teams will be looking to build on the momentum from this weekend’s dramatic finishes.
McVay’s focus remains on moving forward. “That’s the only thing that I’m really worried about. That game’s over with. We’re a 1‑2 football team and got to be able to move forward,” he said.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
