Stop bellyaching, 3 times referees nearly cost LA Rams the game

No call I – Jachai Polite near sack

The LA Rams allowed Jachai Polite to see action on one defensive snap of the game.  Just one. And in that one play, he lined up against Dallas Cowboys rookie offensive tackle Terrance Steele. It was a pass play, ideal for Polite to showcase the pass rush that is one of the best raw rushes in the NFL.

He used a swim move to get past Steele, and with his lower center or gravity, turned the corner on the much bigger offensive tackle. But at the two-second mark of a six-second segment, you can see something wrong about the play.  Steele is behind Polite, but he has his right hand hooked onto the facemask/helmet of Polite. So strong is that grip that he literally steers Polite to the ground, negating what would have been another sack of Dak Prescott.

Polite’s lone play sullied

While this was the only play for Polite in the contest, the lack of any penalty was huge. This was a huge oversight by the referees.  The LA Rams defensive line over shifted on the play, giving Jachai Polite a one on one against rookie right tackle Terrance Steele.  By all stretches of the imagination, this was an obvious and easy call to make. One offensive lineman against one defensive lineman. The defender’s head was twisted, pulled in an odd angle as he went in for the sack.

Steele is prohibited from placing hands on the facemask of a defensive lineman. But he does.  No call. No penalty. That call would have placed the Cowboys back another ten yards. But no call was made. No penalty assessed against the Dallas Cowboys. Polite went back to the bench and Steele remained on the field.