A controversial pass interference penalty against cornerback Josh Wallace erased what appeared to be a game-saving interception late in the Rams’ stunning 30-26 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football, sparking outrage across social media and prompting disagreement from NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay.
With Denver trailing 26-23 and facing third-and-six from the Rams’ 11-yard line with 1:15 remaining, Bo Nix fired toward Pat Bryant near the right sideline. Wallace worked his way inside the receiver, grabbed the football with one arm and secured a knee-down with what seemed to be his second interception of the evening.
It should have been over. The Rams arrived at Mile High and walked away with a win.
That wasn’t necessarily true.
Not so fast.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay did not believe Rams CB Josh Wallace should have been flagged for pass interference, in what may have otherwise been an interception.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 28, 2026
The flag for defensive pass interference wiped away the turnover and gave Denver fresh downs on the five-yard-line. Replays suggested Bryant grabbed Wallace and pulled him toward himself as the ball arrived. If anything, it could have easily been offensive pass interference.
McAulay wasn’t buying the referee’s call.
“I don’t see the defender doing anything that significantly hinders the receiver,” McAulay stated during NBC’s broadcast, noting Bryant appeared to pull Wallace toward him.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay did not believe Rams CB Josh Wallace should have been flagged for pass interference, in what may have otherwise been an interception.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 28, 2026
Needless to say, the internet responded far less diplomatically.
“How is this a pass interference on the Rams??” NFL reporter Dov Kleiman wrote on X, claiming Denver had been “gifted” the call and describing the game as “rigged.”
Another X user joked humorously handed referee Bill Vinovich the game ball.
“CONGRATULATIONS TO #NFL REF BILL VINOVICH AND THE #BRONCOS ON THE WIN TONIGHT VERSUS THE #RAMS,” the user wrote. “HELL OF A PERFORMANCE BY THEIR STAR PLAYER.”
Referee Bill Vinovich, center, presents the coin during a pregame meeting prior to an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Denver. AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
Our own New York Post contributor Adam Schein also had no need for replay review or a rulebook.
“That’s a terrible call. Awful,” Schein wrote. “Terry is right. That’s an interception. Rams got robbed here. Easy. Obvious.”
That’s a terrible call. Awful. Terry is right. That’s an interception. Rams got robbed here. Easy. Obvious.
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) September 28, 2026
That phrase may become a defining moment for Rams supporters heading home: “Rams got roughed up.”
Deciding if the game was rigged goes beyond such a single questionable penalty.
However, asserting the Rams were “hosed” on this particular call carries weight.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay argued Walter Wallace committed no act warranting defensive pass interference, emphasizing Bryant appears to have grabbed the Rams cornerback and driven him inward as the ball arrived.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Should Wallace’s interception stand, Los Angeles could have retained possession with the lead and merely under a minute remaining.
Instead, a yellow flag became Denver’s lifeline. As one Broncos report put it, “this team has nine lives and then some.”
Fairness demands we note that regardless of the call, the turning point resulted largely from the Rams themselves.
Without the controversial officiating blip, Denver never recovered from a 16-0 halftime deficit. The referees didn’t arrive lethargic after a lockout break, nor did they miss back-to-back scores or successful two-point conversions. Even the most egregious calls—such as Denver’s record-breaking 33rd pick‑six—could not have generated the collapse. The result remained entirely within the control of the players.
Yet just as Wallace seemed poised to salvage the situation through a miraculous redemption, one equally contentious decision granted Denver yet another chance.
And that opportunity turned directly into victory.
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