Stephen A. Smith rips Vikings defense but admits they got 'hosed'

Refs missed a blatant facemask on Sam Darnol in the final two minutes that effectively ended the game Thursday night

Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The missed facemask penalty on Sam Darnold on Thursday night has the NFL world talking but it's the Vikings themselves who deserve the blame for the loss, according to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

Down 28-20 with 1:42 left on the clock and backed up on their own 5-yard line, Darnold was sacked for a safety by Rams defensive lineman Byron Young. As Young got ahold of Darnold, he twisted Darnold's facemask. The refs missed the call, allowing the safety to stand and seal the game.

While the call certainly impacted the end of the game, Smith said it wasn't what decided it.

"Lets point to what's really, really going on here. I'm looking at a Minnesota Vikings team that's lost two straight. I'm looking at a Minnesota Vikings team which defense we've spent the past five weeks bragging about, and over the last two weeks they've gone from giving up 15 points-a-game to 30 points-a-game. They've gone from allowing 330 yards-per-game to about 288 yards-per-game. The defense — led by Brian Flores, who we've spent time giving props to — hasn't been the same," said Smith on First Take.

"And so now that's a reality that we have to look at, when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings, we have to pay attention to what they've done to lose this game," continued Smith. "With 9:20 left in the fourth quarter, Sean McVay had a decision to make. You've got a fourth-and-one situation, you could've kicked the field goal. What does this man do? He goes for it, gives it to Kyren Williams, he runs for three yards, ultimately gets the first down, moves the chains, eats up the clock. And, oh by the way, finished that drive with a touchdown. Minnesota had something to do with that. So, when we look at this play, and we pay attention to the fact that Minnesota definitely got hosed, in terms of that call not being made, let's not act like they would have won had the call been made. Let's not act like they would have won if the drive would have continued."

While it is absolutely fair to say the Vikings got "hosed" on the missed call, it's also fair to point out that, if the penalty was called, Minnesota would have had to drive 80 yards and convert a two-point conversion just to tie the game. All in just over a minute-and-a-half with no timeouts. That would have been completely against the run of play.

After putting up 14 points in their first two drives, the Vikings offense mustered six points and just 126 yards of offense on their final seven drives of the game. Meanwhile, the Rams moved the ball with ease, piling up 386 yards on the night.

Of course, we can't help but point out that Darnold's Carolina Panthers were trailing the Vikings 28-20 with just over two minutes to play in 2021 and he drove them the length of the field for a touchdown and the game-tying two-point conversion.

In terms of the relevancy of the facemask last night...in 2021, Sam Darnold trailed the Vikings 28-20 with 2:09 left and the ball at his own 4-yard line. He drove the length of the field in less than 1:30, threw a touchdown and then converted the 2-point to send the game to OT

— Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) October 25, 2024

"(The Vikings) had a lead, they gave it up and that the Rams was doing what they wanted to do," continued Smith, who also credited the return of Rams receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp for having "a lot to do with Minnesota losing."