NFL Fans Were Perplexed by Matthew Stafford's Clever Move to Avoid Sack vs. Vikings

Matthew Stafford's quick-witted move to avoid a sack led to plenty of conversation among football fans.
Matthew Stafford avoids a fumble by tossing an incomplete pass against the Minnesota Vikings.
Matthew Stafford avoids a fumble by tossing an incomplete pass against the Minnesota Vikings. / Screenshot via Rate the Refs App

Some quick thinking from Matthew Stafford may have saved the Los Angeles Rams from surrendering a touchdown.

During the second quarter, Stafford dropped back to pass but was swarmed by the Minnesota Vikings' pass rush. While in the process of being sacked, Stafford cleverly decided to toss the ball away into the ground in front of him.

The Vikings jumped on the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown, but it was ultimately called back because officials determined that Stafford was attempting to throw the ball. Minnesota thought it had made a game-changing play, and it might have if not for the quick wits of Stafford.

NFL fans were split on how they felt about the ruling, with some suggesting it should have been considered a fumble and others saying that it was a moment of brilliance from the 36-year-old quarterback.

A league that's been plagued by the question of "what is a catch?" may now be facing a similar problem when it comes to, "what is a throw?"


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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.