Minnesota Vikings fans were left outraged Thursday night after a crucial missed face mask call against the Los Angeles Rams helped seal a 10-point Rams victory. With just under two minutes left and the Vikings trailing by eight, quarterback Sam Darnold dropped back to pass and was sacked by Rams defender Byron Young, who yanked Darnold down by the face mask in the end zone—a clear violation that should have resulted in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
The missed call, which is non-reviewable, resulted instead in a safety, handing the Rams an extra two points and giving them the ball back with an insurmountable lead. Vikings fans, already reeling from the team’s second loss in five days, erupted across social media, with one fan tweeting a photo of Bart Simpson dressed as a blind man with the caption, “The back angle showed the ref looking literally right at it.” Many echoed frustrations with another adding, “If it was Mahomes, that man would be fined and suspended.”
After the game, the officiating crew, led by referee Tra Blake, addressed the controversy. Blake admitted he hadn’t seen the foul due to his position on the field, saying, “The quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me, so I did not have a good look at it. The umpire had players between him and the quarterback, so he was blocked out as well.” Despite the explanation, Vikings fans were unimpressed, frustrated by the lack of accountability and missed opportunity in a close game.
This incident fuels ongoing calls for stricter officiating standards and more review options for critical plays. As the Vikings regroup from back-to-back losses, fans are left wondering what might have been if that face mask had been called—and what can be done to prevent similar game-changing mistakes in the future.
