McVay's Rams not a 'victim' of pass interference call in loss

• 

  Sarah BarshopSep 28, 2026, 08:08 PM ET

  Close

  Sarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Green Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cover the Texans. She came to ESPN after working as a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated.

LOS ANGELES -- After re-watching the play where his team was called for defensive pass interference late in the Week 3 loss to the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said the Rams will not "play the victim card" because of the call.

The play came on third-and-6 from the Los Angeles 11, when cornerback Josh Wallace appeared to intercept Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. Wallace was called for defensive pass interference on Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant, giving Denver first-and-goal from the Rams' 7. The Broncos scored on the drive to take a 30-26 lead with 47 seconds remaining.

"[It] doesn't really matter," McVay said on Monday. "It is what it is. That was the call that was made and there was a lot of opportunities that we had to be able to close the door on that game. .... But I wouldn't have any additional coaching points for how Josh [Wallace] plays through the cycle of the snap. But I'm not going to make excuses either and we're not going to play the victim card."

The Rams were called for five penalties in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, tied for the most by any team in a game since 2000, according to ESPN Research. Referee Bill Vinovich's crew had thrown the second-fewest flags in the final two minutes of a game in the 2024 and '25 seasons. They group threw just one flag in the last two minutes across the entire 2024 season.

The Rams ended that game without cornerback Jaylen Watson, who dislocated his arm late in the second quarter. McVay said Watson has dealt with that injury before and although he will likely not play in Week 4 against the Eagles, the Rams don't plan to put the cornerback on injured reserve.

Tight end Terrance Ferguson will also likely miss the Rams' Week 4 game after spraining his ankle against the Broncos, McVay said. Tight end Colby Parkinson sprained his AC joint in the game, but McVay said his status for the game is still to be determined.

McVay reiterated Monday that he is "hopeful" wide receiver Puka Nacua can play on Sunday against the Eagles. Nacua has missed the last two games with soreness in his groin.

"It sounds like he had a good workout before the game," McVay said. "We'll continue to see, but if he is able to progress the way that we hope, there's optimism that he'll be able to play this week."