It’s been an interesting year for Sean McVay. Sometimes accepting reality can be difficult, but McVay has taken “refuse to lose” somewhat literally.
He’s had a seemingly impossible time accepting the Seattle Seahawks victories in the playoffs and Week 16, calling the Seahawks lucky after the NFC Championship Game.
Now, the Los Angeles Rams are reportedly going to propose a rule to change the two-point conversion, the advanced lateral (post-incorrect whistle) known as The Zachwards Pass. Zach Charbonnet picked up what was initially ruled an incomplete forward pass while in the end zone, but upon video review it was ruled that Sam Darnold threw a backwards pass and that Charbonnet’s recovery was a good, game-tying conversion. Seattle tied the game at 30-30, fell behind in overtime, but still won on an Eric Saubert two-point try.
The actual content of the proposed change is not yet known. Suspicion would be that it suggests a change to either the way the review was conducted, or about when and how a backwards pass can be advanced.
Watch it again here, and while you do, imagine McVay losing his ever-loving mind.
Traditional rules do not allow a fumble to be advanced by anyone but the fumbling player in the final two minutes of the half, or on 4th down. Unironically, a two-point conversion does feel somewhat close to either of those scenarios, although it should be noted that backwards passes are technically not fumbles even though they’re recorded as such in the game book. It will potentially be the most interesting rule proposal taking place this offseason.
Not that Seattle was going to put it in their playbook on purpose, but this will be worth monitoring all the same.