Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay wants answers from the NFL after a strange 2-point conversion call took away his team’s win against the Seattle Seahawks. Next Gen Stats showed the Rams had a 97% chance to win on Thursday Night Football in Week 16, but they lost after a controversial play.
This loss was historic in the worst way. According to Heavy.com, teams with over 400 yards, zero turnovers, zero sacks allowed, and three or more takeaways were 79-0 since 1975. Now they’re 79-1 after this Rams defeat. The stats show how much the Rams controlled the game, which makes the loss hurt even more.
The game changed late in the fourth quarter. The Rams led 30-22 when Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to tight end AJ Barner. Seattle went for a 2-point conversion to tie the game. Darnold threw a pass that Rams linebacker Byron Young knocked away.
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The officials changed their call and turned the game upside down
The refs first called it an incomplete pass. The Rams defense thought they had stopped Seattle, and the team started preparing for the kickoff. Then everything changed. Officials reviewed the play and reversed their call, saying Darnold’s throw was actually a backward pass, not an incomplete pass. This meant the ball was still live.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet grabbed the ball before it stopped moving. Since it was ruled a backward pass, Charbonnet’s recovery in the end zone counted as a successful 2-point conversion. The game was now tied 30-30.
McVay was shocked by what happened and spoke about it after the game.
“I’ve never quite seen anything like what happened on the 2-point conversion, where you’re lined up to kick off, then they say it’s a fumble because they had the clear and obvious recovery. Now, you tack it on, you make it a 30-30 game. Very interesting. Didn’t get clear explanation of everything that went on, just because of some of the timing of it,” he said.
McVay’s ability to handle tough situations shows why some consider him among the best coaches in the NFL. McVay said the Seahawks got to add the points and tie the game 30-30.
McVay said he wasn’t making excuses, but he wanted clear answers from the league. He wants to know what his team can do to prevent situations like this after they stopped the 2-point try. His frustration makes sense after such an unusual call, especially as controversial officiating decisions continue sparking debate across professional sports.
Broadcast rules analyst Terry McAulay predicted the reversal during the game. McAulay explained that if the pass went backward, Seattle’s recovery in the end zone would count as a good 2-point conversion. He said the key factor is the ball’s path from release to when the defender touched it.
McAulay noted it wasn’t a fumble but a backward pass that any offensive player can advance. Seattle made all three of their 2-point tries in the game, including the game-winner to tight end Eric Saubert. The loss dropped the Rams from first place in the NFC West to fifth in the conference and second in the division.
Published: Dec 19, 2025 01:30 pm