Late in the fourth quarter, a controversial pass interference call on Michael Gallup negated a huge play. That penalty forced a 3rd-and-10 into a 3rd-and-20 with only 21 seconds left to play. Dak Prescott would throw two incompletions later as the Rams closed out the 20-17 season-opening win.
Fans, media, and even cornerback Jalen Ramsey have spoken out on the incident. Gallup finally gave his take on the matter.
“I mean, honestly, I guess I just [need to] beat him a little bit more at the line so we’re not playing fighting down the field for a good 10 yards,” Gallup said on Wednesday, via NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. “That’s the best I can put it. I was just trying to get my hand free, so [therefore] it looked like I pushed off. But it is what it is.”
Ramsey was in the middle of a controversial call. Dating back to his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the top-paid cornerback in the league rose up again for the Los Angeles Rams.
After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy called the play an “obvious” mistake, while fans were riled up on Twitter.
Ramsey had a different tone.
When speaking to the media after the game, Ramsey said the offensive pass interference was “as clear as day.” He later said that if the referee didn’t call it, “I would have been highly upset.”
Members of the media did not like the call. After the game, former ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd took to Twitter to share his response.
“My rule on pass interference — let great athletes battle for the ball. Try to never call it, unless it’s OBVIOUS. That didn’t feel obvious,” the FOX Sports 1 host tweeted late after the game.