The Rams Must Push a Rules Amendment After Seahawks Loss

The Los Angeles Rams were on the wrong end of a scoring decision that still has people confused

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Rams were leading the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 30-28. Seattle, who just scored a touchdown, looked to go for two in an attempt to tie up the ball game.

On their attempt, a backwards pass from Sam Darnold to Zach Charbonnet was deflected forward by Jared Verse and despite a whistle being blown and the Rams walking off the field, Charbonnet would then pick up the ball to hand it to the referee. Since the ball was in the end zone, Charbonnet's recovery would count as a legal move, resulting in a successful attempt.

The referees made the correct call based on the letter of the law but after seeing the law in live action, the Rams must pioneer rule changes to the forward advancement of the football at next year's NFL owners meetings.

The Argument

During the debate on the tush push, Rams head coach Sean McVay spoke about how the play doesn't resemble football. On that same argument, a successful try in which the ball was never possessed beyond the line of scrimmage between the whistles is the antithesis of football.

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A new proposal should state that any football fumbled behind the line of scrimmage can not be advanced if recovered beyond the line. This would ensure a team could holy roller the football while taking the whistle completely out of the question.

For example, this rule would mean that with Charbonnet's recovery, the ball would then revert to it's orginial spot with a loss of downs, leading to an unsuccessful try.

The Why Behind the Argument

There are two reasons why this must happen. Competitive fairness and safety. If this call ended a Super Bowl, everyone besides fans of the winning team would be up in arms about this because this isn't football. How were the Rams supposed to go after the ball without making physical contact with Charbonnet, contact that would have occurred after the whistle?

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Would the Rams be flagged for the contact? Would Seattle be justified in considering that a cheap shot based on the spirit of the game? Should the Rams have been retroactively awarded points, considering the whistle prevented a return? All those questions end with this ruling.

It's simple. The offense must possess the ball to advance it. That's football. More importantly, if this doesn't change, this will lead to every team diving after every ball after the whistle if there's any resemblance of a backwards pass, putting players at risk of having their lower bodies targeted by players who are pursuing the football.

If this doesn't change, that means the league is saying a backwards pass can be viewed in the same lens as a muffed punt, and the last thing anyone needs is 22 men within 15 yards of each other diving headfirst towards the same target. Let's have some sense here.

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