Rams screwed over by pass interference and the 4 worst calls from NFL Week 3

NFL refs were most certainly not at their best in Week 3. That was a theme from the first 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday until the final moments of Rams-Broncos on Sunday Night Football. There were egregious calls throughout the league. But what's worse is that some of those calls had legitimately pivotal impacts on the games they were in. Frankly, we need to call them out, no matter if it was a missed call, the wrong call or something in-between.

These were the four worst calls from NFL refs in Week 3, starting with a flag that might've cost the Los Angeles Rams the game in Denver.

Rams could've ended the game if not for an awful pass interference call

Some Rams fans probably want me to point out the hands to the face flag on fourth-and-1 that gave the Broncos new life. By the letter of the law, I can't totally get behind saying that's a bad call because the defensive back did get hands to the face. However, the worst call of Week 3 and during Sunday Night Football was before that.

Bo Nix was targeting Pat Bryant on the right sideline as the Broncos tried to complete their come-from-behind drive with Josh Wallace in coverage for the Rams. Wallace not only stuck tight with the Denver receiver, but actually somehow came away with the interception, getting his feet down while making a great catch. The one problem: The refs called it defensive pass interference. And, well, look for yourself.

That's offensive pass interference if anything. But the simple truth is that it should've been an interception for the Rams with 1:15 remaining in the game. While the Broncos still had three timeouts, it would've given Los Angeles the opportunity to ice the game and take home the win. Instead, the DPI call gave Denver new life — and it's to their credit that they took advantage of it to get the victory.

But still...

Vikings got away with two facemasks in win over the Buccaneers

There was a part of me that didn't even really want to mention these missed calls from Minnesota's win over Tampa Bay on Sunday because the Buccaneers, as a general whole, played so poorly. However, the fact that this happened twice ultimately made it too big of an issue to explore.

Which was your favorite missed facemask penalty that the Vikings weren't flagged for? Was it Kenneth Gainwell clearly getting stopped by the defender ripping on his facemask only for the refs to not throw the flag?

Or was it Baker Mayfield, who was complaining for the call on the first play, getting yanked by his own facemask while escaping pressure, and still getting no flag?

Again, I'm not sure it would've totally mattered because the Buccaneers did not look like a good football team on Sunday and really haven't looked like one all year. But a facemask is maybe the most obvious penalty to be able to call, and missing two obvious ones is a tough look for the officiating crew in this game.

Of course the Chiefs earned a questionable roughing the passer flag

Look, I fully understand and comprehend the new bodyweight rule when it comes to roughing the passer. It's a league that has invested in protecting quarterbacks. I don't necessarily agree with the bodyweight rule itself, so maybe that's where hating this call from Chiefs-Dolphins on Sunday comes from — or maybe it's the fact that the Chiefs and the refs have such a long history of being a controversial pairing.

At the same time, this hit from Chop Robinson on Patrick Mahomes didn't really feel like it warranted the 15-yard penalty that it earned for the personal foul. Yes, the Dolphins defender did take him to the ground, but you can also see him attempt to not drive him fully into the ground and do everything in his power at that specific angle to not have his whole bodyweight on him.

Now, I get that he came down on top of him, despite efforts to alleviate the fall from Robinson. However, the optics of Mahomes already appearing to look for a flag mid-hit only make it feel that much dirtier. This is probably the weakest candidate for a "worst call" on this list, but it definitely seems off in a couple of areas to the point it feels worth calling it into question.

Cowboys and Ravens cancelled each other out with brutal DPI calls

Both Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens fans probably feel like they have legitimate and warranted complaints when it comes to pass interference calls that were made in Brazil on Sunday afternoon. The first came in the second quarter when Dallas had gotten out to a 10-7 lead in the game. And it was a call that ultimately set up the Ravens for a drive to take the lead.

On second-and-5 from their own 16-yard line, Lamar Jackson dropped back to find Zay Flowers. The pass fell incomplete, but Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland was flagged for defensive pass interference as Flowers tripped on the defensive back's feet while he was on the ground. It turns out, however, that he might've been on the ground because Flowers shoved off in what looked more like offensive pass interference than what was called.

But don't come at me, Ravens fans, because the refs showed equal "favor" in terms of DPI whiffs. On the fateful late field goal drive for the Cowboys that was completely mismanaged by Dallas, they got deep in the red zone after CeeDee Lamb and Nate Wiggins were tangled up in the end zone when Dak Prescott threw his No. 1 receiver's way. The call came in for defensive pass interference, but that's most definitely up for debate.

From where I'm sitting, that's either a no-call because there's handfighting from both parties, or there's also an argument for offensive pass interference. The silver lining for Baltimore fans, of course, is the fact that this call ended up having potential karmic implications with the way the game ended.

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