LOS ANGELES -- Rams head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that the NFL told the team that defensive pass interference should not have been called against cornerback Josh Wallace in Sunday night's loss to the Denver Broncos.
The play came on third-and-6 from the Los Angeles 11, when Wallace intercepted a pass by Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. The cornerback was called for defensive pass interference on Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant, giving Denver first-and-goal at the 7. The Broncos scored on the drive to take a 30-26 lead with 47 seconds left.
McVay said Monday that the team turned the play into the league in an effort to get clarity on the call, saying, "the most important intent is making sure we educate our players on how it's being officiated so there's clarity of how we can coach them to play technique and fundamentally through the cycle of the snap."
On Wednesday, McVay said the league "agreed" with him that the penalty should not have been called.
"The goal is to just get good, consistent feedback," McVay said. "It doesn't matter. Like I've told you, the only thing that matters to me is how to educate our players. ... Whether it was or wasn't right, that wasn't the point. The call was made and that was what the call was. What I am interested in is if there's any sort of feedback that says this is in alignment with what would be correctly officiated as a DPI, here's the coaching points that you want your DBs or your backend guys to be able to have.
"That's the only thing that I'm really worried about. That game's over with. We're a 1-2 football team and got to be able to move forward."
The Rams' next chance to "move forward" will come in Week 4 against the 2-1 Philadelphia Eagles. McVay said the team expects to get wide receiver Puka Nacua back for the game. Nacua, who has missed the last two games with soreness in his groin, will return to practice on Wednesday. McVay said Nacua will be listed as limited on the injury report.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement in late August, will not practice Wednesday. McVay said Donald is dealing with a sore back but said it is too early to determine whether it will affect his game status for Week 4.
"Just taking it a day at a time," McVay said. "I wouldn't want to say anything of that nature yet, but I think the back's a little bit sore. And he's as tough as it gets, and so I'll continue to have updates as the week goes."
