NFL Needs To Change Penalty Rules After Missed Call On Sam Darnold

Thursday Night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams ended in a win for Los Angeles in part because of a missed call on an obvious face mask. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was tackled in the end zone, pulled down by his face mask, and despite an official seemingly staring directly at the play, it was ruled a game-ending safety.

READ: Refs Miss Blatant Face-Mask Penalty Against LA Rams To Bury Minnesota Vikings’ Chances At A Comeback

It doesn’t get much worse than that in terms of missed penalties. After the game, the officials explained the missed call by saying they “did not have a good look” at what happened.

“The quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me, so I did not have a good look at it,” referee Tra Blake said. “I did not have a look, and I did not see the face mask being pulled, obviously.’’ 

“The umpire had players between him and the quarterback, so he did not get a good look at it,” Blake said. “He was blocked out as well. So that was the thing. We did not see it, so we couldn’t call it.”

But why does it have to be this way?

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Vikings QB Sam Darnold is sacked for a safety by Rams Byron Young, #0, and Braden Fiske, #55, during fourth quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, October 24, 2024.  The Rams defeated the Vikings 30-20. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Blown Facemask Call In Vikings-Rams Should Create Systemic Changes

There’s no reason, with modern technology and the NFL’s financial resources, that this type of mistake should happen. And the call, like all penalty calls, was not reviewable, ensuring that the Vikings could not challenge. So what could or should be done about it?

The obvious answer is to place an official in the press box at each game with access to these types of replays. Instead of a challenge system, there should be a process in place to ensure that a member of the officiating crew can immediately buzz down on obvious, non-judgement calls. Face mask, false start, penalties where there’s no officiating judgment involved should be corrected. 

Face masks are not holding penalties, they’re not even pass interference penalties. Those are both calls with varying interpretations in fast-paced situations. This is a distinct situation and call. The player either grabbed the face mask, or didn’t. 

Everyone in the stadium, the millions of people watching on television and within a few minutes, the referees could see that the Vikings should have been awarded 15 yards and an automatic first down. Maybe they’d still have lost, but there’s no reason that an outcome should be determined by an officiating mistake instead of on the field.

Post a referee in the press box, and when that referee sees the replays, a few seconds after the play, have them buzz down to correct the call on the field. It doesn’t need to go to a video review, just an immediate correction. There’s no reason this type of mistake should ever happen again. Especially not as the games become more meaningful throughout the rest of the regular season and playoffs.