Vikings-Rams missed face mask penalty leads to fan conspiracies

Oct 26, 2024

1. Do I think the NFL is rigged? No.

Do I think you can even rig an NFL game? No.

Do I think the refs are completely incompetent? Yes.

Do I think the NFL has a huge problem with its refs? Yes.

Do I think the awful officiating ends up being an even bigger problem now that sports betting is legalized in a lot of states? Yes.

So I don’t think the refs in Thursday’s Vikings-Rams game didn’t throw a flag for a face mask penalty on Minnesota’s last drive while down 28–20 because they were fixing a game. I think they didn’t throw a flag because they are awful at what they do.

But when you miss a call that obvious as the cover hangs in the balance, it brings out the "fix is in" crowd.

Hell, those people now come out of the woodwork BEFORE the game.

90% of the money in Vegas is on Minnesota tn so expect some dodgy officiating

The flaw in this logic, of course, is why would the NFL give a flying fudgestick if 90% of the money is on the Vikings? Why would the NFL try to help sportsbooks? But that doesn’t mean the conspiracy theories aren’t fun.

The Vikings were two to three-point favorites, depending on when you bet the game. So there were tons of people hoping for a touchdown, a 2-point conversion and overtime. And they were not happy with as bad a missed call as you’ll ever see in an NFL game.

90% of the money was on the Vikes in Vegas.Magically the Rams got bailed out 5 times on 3rd down by penalties and this wasn’t called for a face masks.Last thing NFL wants is a LA market team to go into seller mode before the traded deadline.#Rigged pic.twitter.com/2C6DBNc6dt

Starting to believe the NFL might actually be riggedThis was not called a facemask to end the game… pic.twitter.com/GzIzv27Uqh

NFL refs clearly rigged the game tonight 5 first downs for the Rams come from penalties & a missed Clear face mask on Darnald that caused a safety.Done gambling on the NFL it’s just too blatantly rigged

The most rigged game I ever seen against the Vikings, refs really took the game away from us. #skol pic.twitter.com/gRFldw5geD

Tonight, if you didn't think that the @NFL is fixed. Then, look at the no call face mask call. The @NFL could not allow the @RamsNFL to not have an opportunity to make the playoffs.

Right in front of the Zebra Vegas has ruined sports This should be a fine for seeing this & not calling it Absolutely insane man #NFL #TNF #VIKINGS #RAMS #RIGGED #nflbets #officiating #zebra @nfl @NFLOfficiating pic.twitter.com/olyHrvrmgt

“And the #Vikings get the stop on 3rd and 47”Vegas with 90% of the money on Minnesota: pic.twitter.com/jr6uoPYTvl

Gambling commercial on every break, "this timeout brought to you by Draftkings", 90% of the money on the Vikings and you want the public to believe this game wasn't fixed by your incompetent or corrupt refs?!?!?@NFLOfficiating @nfl

#NFL  Vikings/Rams game should be investigated for a soft fix. Refs converted the Rams on 3rd down 5 times. They also called several illegal formation after the play was run, giving Rams a choice of penalty or the play. Face mask was the final straw. Accountability is needed.

2. Last night we got the first of what should be many references from Charles Barkley this season about the NBA on TNT and Inside the NBA being done after the 2024-25 campaign.

"12:29... We're walking out of here at 1 o'clock... What are they gonna do, fire us?" - Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/U65GDIy545

3. What a graphic from the Thursday Night Football crew regarding Al Michaels's dietary habits!

Al Michaels eats like a corrupt congressman pic.twitter.com/mJK7owvKWT

4. I hate whoever wrote this tweet.

A team losing a game is not a "disaster." Home runs are homers, not "dingers," "jacks" or "bombs."A player scored 10 straight points, not 10 "unanswered" points. If a football team scores two touchdowns and the opponent doesn't come back, say it "never trailed" rather than…

5. The trailer was just released for September 5, a movie that actually comes out Dec 13. The film is about how ABC handled coverage of the hostage tragedy at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

The movie looks excellent.

6. This week’s episode of SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with CBS’s James Brown.

The longtime NFL Today host talks about life before broadcasting, when he attended Harvard University and tried out for the Atlanta Hawks, and what happened when he didn't make the team.

Brown then goes into his broadcasting career and discusses his decision to leave Fox's pregame show to join CBS, what he expects to get out of NFL Today each week, the changes at NFL Today this season with Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason out and Matt Ryan in, what his typical Sunday is like each week and his biggest broadcasting flub, which was an epic 1-2 punch when he did play-by-play.

Following Brown, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include the Dodgers-Yankees World Series, a terrible gambling beat, the NFL trade deadline falling on Election Day and a review of the movie Saturday Night.

You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Happy 40th birthday to Katy Perry. Never forget the time she fought with Lee Corso on College GameDay in 2014.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.

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