Following the terrible missed facemask call by the game officials in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was on the receiving end of another obvious missed call by the refs in the first half of Sunday's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
In the middle of the Vikings' first offensive drive in the second quarter, Darnold dropped back and fumbled the ball after he was sacked by Colts defensive lineman Grover Stewart. Indianapolis cornerback Kenny Moore then picked up the football and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.
Fumble six! Grover Stewart forced the ball out and Kenny Moore II scoops it up and scores for the @Colts!
— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024
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Refs miss another obvious penalty in first half of Minnesota Vikings game vs. Indianapolis Colts
Following the score, the TV broadcast highlighted that the game officials missed a penalty on Stewart that would've negated the touchdown. NBC rules analyst Terry McCauley shared his belief that an unnecessary roughness penalty should have been called on the play after a replay showed Stewart's hand hitting Darnold in the head.
"Yeah Mike as I look at it, hat's a pretty big blow to the head from the forearm and wrist of the tackler. He's a defenseless player. That's forceable contact. If they'd had called that and left the flag down, that's certainly supportable as a foul for unnecessary roughness."
For whatever reason, Darnold isn't getting these calls, and it's something that has to change because it's affecting the outcome of Minnesota's games.
Not that the Vikings would've done anything with the second chance if the correct call had been made since they walked off the field at the half with zero points. But the refs need to at least give Minnesota the chance to mess the game up on their own, without any help.