Darnold, O'Connell not blaming missed face mask call as reason why Vikings lost to Rams

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Minnesota backmost Sam Darnold didn't blasted nan officials for a missed look disguise telephone erstwhile he was sacked for a information precocious successful nan 4th fourth of Thursday night's 30-20 nonaccomplishment to nan Los Angeles Rams.

Instead, Darnold lamented nan business that pinned the Vikings heavy successful nan first place.

“The facemask — it is what it is,” Darnold said. “I thought we could’ve done a batch to not put ourselves successful nan business that we were in. We conscionable person to proceed to play amended and not put ourselves successful that business to statesman with.”

The Vikings sewage nan shot astatine their ain 5-yard statement pinch 1:46 remaining aft Rams punter Ethan Evans' 41-yard footwear landed retired of bounds connected nan near sideline.

Darnold missed connecting pinch Jordan Addison connected first down. On second-and-10, Darnold sewage a mates cleanable seconds successful nan pouch earlier Byron Young barreled past near defender Blake Brandel and took down Darnold for a safety, putting nan crippled retired of reach.

Referee Tra Blake said successful a excavation study that he and umpire Carl Paganelli — nan 2 officials closest to nan play — did not person a clear view.

Blake said nan officiating unit discussed nan play aft nan Vikings brought up Young's infraction, but nary 1 was capable to intelligibly spot it.

Face disguise calls are not reviewable by instant replay.

“The backmost was facing nan other guidance from maine truthful I did not person a bully look astatine it. I did not person a look, and I did not spot nan facemask being pulled,” Blake said. "The umpire had players betwixt him and nan quarterback, truthful he did not get a look astatine it. He was blocked retired arsenic well. So that was nan thing, we did not spot it truthful we couldn’t telephone it. We couldn’t spot it.”

Coach Kevin O'Connell said “it looked for illustration (Young) sewage a beautiful bully magnitude of facemask there," but he wasn't going to blasted that for Minnesota's 2nd nonaccomplishment successful 5 days.

“I told our team, officiating and each that stuff, for america to talk astir that and to activity comfortableness successful that is not really we’re going to respond to this,” he said. “It looked for illustration he sewage a portion of nan facemask, but they didn’t deliberation so, truthful they didn’t propulsion nan flag.”

If Young had been penalized, nan Vikings would person had first-and-10 astatine their ain 20. But they had nary clip outs and would person needed a touchdown and 2-point conversion to nonstop nan crippled into overtime.

O'Connell's bigger interest is astir near tackle Christian Darrisaw, who suffered an wounded to his near knee precocious successful nan first half.

Darrisaw sewage deed from nan broadside by Rams information Jaylen McCollough while tally blocking for Aaron Jones. McCollough mislaid his equilibrium and went to nan crushed erstwhile he made a diving tackle effort connected Jones.

David Quessenberry replaced Darrisaw astatine near tackle for nan remainder of nan game. Darrisaw was connected crutches arsenic he near nan locker room aft nan game.

“We’ll proceed that information present and Friday, and effort to corroborate what that is, keeping our fingers crossed that we get immoderate affirmative news," O'Connell said.

After winning its first 5 games, Minnesota is reeling a spot pinch 2 consecutive losses, including a 31-29 defeat astatine Detroit past Sunday.

The Lions (5-1) move into nan lead successful nan hyper-competitive NFC North while Green Bay (5-2) and Chicago (4-2) are not acold back.

“Having nan mini bye will let america to get patient and look ourselves successful nan reflector and do nan small things right,” said Darnold, who was 18 of 25 for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns. “At nan extremity of nan day, I consciousness for illustration we person to do nan small things correct and hash retired nan details. If we do that, I cognize we are going to beryllium a existent bully discourtesy and team. It is nan small things we tin control.”

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