After the Los Angeles Rams’ 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua re-ignited one of several controversies he caused this week, posting — and then quickly thereafter deleting — criticism of the officiating on X.
“Can you say i was wrong,” Nacua posted. “Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol”
On Tuesday, Nacua criticized referees while on a live stream with popular streamers Adin Ross and N3on.
“The refs are the worst, [because] just some of the rules aren’t … These guys are lawyers; they want to be on TV too, bruh,” Nacua said. “You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo! You guys just saw me ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Like, ‘That wasn’t [pass interference] but I called it.’ These guys are normal human beings too, bruh.”
Nacua was likely frustrated with a pair of calls that played significant roles in the outcome. Early in the game, the Rams were called for an ineligible man downfield at the 1-yard line, a call that nullified a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Terrance Ferguson. Terry McAulay, a former referee who now works as an analyst, said on the broadcast it was an incorrect call. The Rams settled for a field goal.
In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks scored a touchdown to get to within 30-28. On the two-point conversion attempt, Jared Verse batted down a Sam Darnold for what appeared to be an incompletion. After review, however, the officials ruled that the pass went backward, and because Zach Charbonnet picked up what was a live ball in the end zone, it counted as a successful two-point try.
“When a backward pass is ruled forward and incomplete, Replay can reverse if there is a clear recovery in the immediate continuing action,” McAuley posted on X. “The recovering team is awarded the ball at the spot of recovery. Let me make this perfectly clear: whether a whistle is blown or not is completely irrelevant.”
Nacua clearly disagreed with the referee’s decision, either there or elsewhere, and he made his feelings known shortly after the game ended. Rams coach Sean McVay declined to comment on Nacua’s post, saying he hadn’t seen it and didn’t have enough information.
Nacua produced one of the best wide receiver stat lines ever Thursday, catching 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard score that put the Rams up in overtime.
However, the Rams’ defense couldn’t hold on; the Seahawks drew to within one on a Darnold touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and won on a walk-off two-point conversion from Darnold to Eric Saubert.
