The NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams delivered the kind of late-game drama we’ve come to expect in January football - but this one left fans and analysts alike with more questions than answers, especially after a controversial third-down call involving Cooper Kupp.
Let’s set the stage: The Seahawks were clinging to a 31-27 lead with just over three minutes left in regulation. Facing a critical 3rd-and-8 deep in their own territory, Seattle needed a conversion to keep the Rams from getting one last shot at a comeback. Enter Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp.
Darnold fired a quick pass to Kupp, who was locked up in man coverage with Rams corner Cobie Durant. Kupp made the grab and lunged forward, but it was a bang-bang play - the kind where inches matter and slow-motion replays become the star of the show. The officials ruled that Kupp had just enough to move the chains, giving Seattle a fresh set of downs and, more importantly, the chance to bleed more time off the clock.
But here’s where things got murky. Replay angles showed Kupp’s shoulder hitting the turf what appeared to be just shy of the marker.
It was close - razor-thin - but many watching at home believed he came up short. Rams head coach Sean McVay reportedly wanted to challenge the spot, but according to multiple accounts, officials told him not to.
That non-review proved pivotal. Seattle kept possession, milked the clock, and by the time the Rams got the ball back, the window for a comeback had slammed shut. The Seahawks punched their ticket to the Super Bowl, while the Rams were left wondering what might have been.
Naturally, the reaction was swift and heated across social media. Fans flooded timelines with frustration, questioning not just the spot, but the lack of a booth review in such a high-leverage moment. Some pointed to inconsistencies in officiating throughout the game, while others simply couldn’t believe the call wasn’t at least looked at more closely.
Adding fuel to the fire, another late-game moment involving Rams receiver Puka Nacua raised eyebrows. Nacua appeared to get out of bounds on a late catch, which would have stopped the clock - but the officials ruled otherwise, signaling the end of the game. That sequence, combined with the Kupp spot, only intensified the outcry.
Now, let’s be clear: officiating in the NFL is never perfect. These plays happen at full speed, with bodies flying and inches deciding outcomes. But in a game of this magnitude - with a Super Bowl berth on the line - fans expect the league to get the critical calls right, or at least take the time to make sure they did.
To be fair, the penalty breakdown wasn’t wildly lopsided. The Seahawks were flagged six times to the Rams’ four, according to ESPN. But numbers don’t always tell the full story, especially when one or two moments carry so much weight.
The takeaway? This game will be remembered not just for the plays made between the whistles, but for the ones that weren’t reviewed after them.
The Seahawks move on, and credit to them - they made the plays when it counted. But for the Rams and their fans, the sting of this loss will linger, not just because of the scoreboard, but because of what might have been with a different ruling - or even just a second look.