University of North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick weighed in on one of the most controversial calls of the NFL playoffs after an incident occurred on Monday evening.
In the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was pressured and brought to the ground by the Minnesota pᴀss rush.
Just before he hit the ground, he let go of the football. It was scooped up by Minnesota and was run back for what was believed to be the game-tying touchdown.
However, officials overturned their ruling on the field – saying that Stafford made a forward throwing motion as he went to the ground. They ruled it an incomplete pᴀss instead and made it 2nd & 10.
It was a controversial decision to make. Not only was the fumble overturned and the touchdown taken off the board, but referees decided against calling an intentional grounding penalty – which would have applied as Stafford was in the pocket and did not appear to throw to a particular wide receiver in the area.
Speaking on the Manningcast on ESPN2, Belichick believed that play was a clear sign of the NFL’s move away from balanced play and toward rules that allow offenses to thrive.
“It’s an offensive league. … There’s no rules to help the defense in the NFL. You can get away with that and call it an incomplete pᴀss.” @OmahaProd —Bill Belichick on Matthew Stafford’s incomplete pᴀss. pic.twitter.com/q2zeXZNHPK
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 14, 2025
Officials ruled this play an incomplete pᴀss by Matthew Stafford (middle), not a fumble
UNC coach Bill Belichick bemoaned the decision, saying the NFL is now ‘an offensive league’
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As both Peyton and Eli Manning displayed faces of shock when the officials overturned their decision, Belichick said, ‘It’s an offensive league, what are you guys doing?
‘There’s no rules to help the defense in the NFL. You can get away with that and call it an incomplete pᴀss.’
Belichick then told the two quarterback brothers, ‘It’s an offensive league, you guys should coach defense in the NFL, you know what it’s like.’
The overturned call appears to have been the turning point in the game. While LA didn’t score with their second-chance on the drive, the Vikings offense didn’t do anything to improve their standing.
By the end of the first half, the Rams had turned their 10-3 lead at the time of the overturned call into a 24-3 lead and didn’t appear like giving that up soon.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold only turned the ball over once on an interception, but he was sacked six times in just the first half alone. It’s the most sacks an NFL quarterback has taken in the first half of a playoff game in the last 25 years.
One of those sacks was a scoop-and-score – with the ball forced out by Rams cornerback Akhello Witherspoon, recovered by Rams defensive end James Verse, and run back 57 yards for a touchdown to go up 17-3.
Just before halftime arrived, Stafford found тιԍнт end Davis Allen in the end zone to go up three possessions.
