Controversial Late No-Call Dooms Rams In Wild Card vs. Lions

Puka Nacua may have been held on the Los Angeles Rams' final drive of the game, but no flag was thrown. Did the officials have the final say in the Rams' playoff fate?

The Detroit Lions abruptly ended the Los Angeles Rams’ season, closing the book on a storybook season that exceeded every expectation. The cruel sport that football is, it was only going to end painfully.

One of the protagonists of Los Angeles’ story was breakout rookie Puka Nacua. He was incredible again on Sunday, ending his 2023 season the way he started it – putting the league on notice.

This hero turned out to be a tragic one. On the Rams’ final drive of the game, Nacua began working back to the ball on third-and-14. A tug of his jersey would hinder his job, and despite getting his hands on the football, the pass fell incomplete. Los Angeles punted and would not see the ball again, falling 24-23.

Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Lions corner Cameron Sutton got away with what appeared to be a hold. If Nacua was unobstructed, he likely would have hauled it in. If the pass was complete or the holding was called, the Rams would have had a first down, keeping their drive in good shape in the game’s final minutes.

no holding called here pic.twitter.com/myLSIVCnd4

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 15, 2024

Instead, their season is over. Los Angeles fell just short, with only a handful of mistakes to look back on. Head coach Sean McVay’s fourth-down decisions went against analytical recommendations, and he spent two timeouts early. 

Trailing since the first drive, the Rams kept things close, but lagging early meant a single miscue could spoil their Sunday. Said miscue may not have been their own.

Nacua’s final target was the only one of the night he didn’t catch. He hauled in nine balls for 181 yards and a score, once again looking like the best player on the field. The fifth-round pick has cemented himself amongst the league’s best and a key part of Los Angeles’ future.

Stafford's Soured Homecoming Brings Sudden End to Rams' Revived Season

But for now, like the rest of the Rams, that future is the only solace to a season that ended early. Perhaps McVay said it best after the game.

“If he just continues to stay humble and keep working, this guy is going to be a problem for a long time.”