Late pass interference call on Rams negates interception, swings momentum as Broncos win 30-26

DENVER (AP) — Pat Bryant had a momentum-swinging touchdown grab and a 2-point conversion catch. His biggest play of the game, though, may have been an effective sales job.

The Denver Broncos second-year receiver drew a debatable pass interference penalty that negated an interception and kept Denver’s winning drive alive. It paved the way for Bo Nix’s QB sneak in the final minute as the Broncos rallied for a 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.

Replays showed it was Bryant grabbing cornerback Josh Wallace instead of the other way around, as the two tumbled toward the sideline, where Wallace cradled the pass as they fell out of bounds.

“A little pass interference. I sold it just a little bit,” Bryant explained. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do win. That’s all.”

The Rams (1-2) took the high road on the key call that would have secured Wallace’s second interception of the night and wrapped up a win in a game where Los Angeles led 16-0 at halftime.

“The ref called what he called and you can’t do nothing about that now,” Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald said. “Woulda, shoulda, coulda. It is what it is.”

The play in question occurred with just over a minute remaining and the Broncos (2-1) deep in Rams territory. Nix floated a pass toward Bryant with Wallace quickly closing near the right sideline. Bryant extended his right arm into the shoulder of Wallace and then threw his head back.

It was convincing enough to draw the flag.

“He did interfere just a little bit,” said Bryant, who had two catches, including a 5-yard TD reception, and a 2-point conversion that tied the game at 16-all with 2:15 left in the third quarter. “I did what I had to do to get the ball.”

Was it a good defensive play?

“I’ll look at it,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “Looked like it was a good competitive play from my vantage point, but we’ll go back and look at it.”

That was one of three defensive penalties the Rams were called for on a Broncos’ winning drive that covered 65 yards on 10 plays and nearly 3 minutes. Quentin Lake was flagged for illegal use of hands on third down and Kobie Turner was whistled for an encroachment penalty with the ball at the 2, which moved the ball inches closer for Nix’s sneak with 47 seconds remaining.

“You try to be physical as a DB,” Lake said. “The rules are the rules. Can’t be too handsy. It’s unfortunate. … You have to live with it and move on.”

On the night, the Rams drew 13 penalties for 91 yards (the Broncos had five for 38).

“We had some penalties that took us backwards in some tough spots,” QB Matthew Stafford said. “When you play against a really good defense, on the road, going backwards is going to be tough.”

Through all the penalties, through a 66-yard pick-6 by Talanoa Hufanga with 4:49 remaining, even through Nix’s late score, the Rams still had a chance at the end. Stafford drove them to the 19 with two seconds remaining before his pass was intercepted by Hufanga at the goal line as time expired.

“They just got momentum,” Wallace said. “There’s a lot of things to clean up.”

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