Referee Tra Blake on face mask: We didn’t see it, so we couldn’t call it

When Rams kicker Byron Young brought down Sam Darnold in the end zone for a safety to seal Thursday night’s win over the Vikings, replays showed Young clearly pulled down Darnold’s face mask during the play.

But no foul was called on the field, and because the foul is unreviewable, the Rams were able to pick up a fair attempt for a penalty kick after the safety to effectively end the game.

After the game, PFWA pool reporter Calvin Watkins spoke with referee Tra Blake, who said none of the officials saw the foul being made.

“Well, on that play, the quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me, so I didn’t get a good look at him,” Blake said. “I didn’t look, I didn’t see the face mask being pulled, obviously. The referee had two players between him and the midfielder, so he didn’t look at them. It has also been blocked.

“So, that was the thing. We didn’t see it, so we couldn’t name it. We couldn’t see it.”

Blake was also asked if the crew discussed the play on the field.

“On the field, we definitely discussed it because [the Vikings] “It raised concerns,” Blake said. “We discussed it as a staff, but we couldn’t see it on the field, so we couldn’t make that decision.”

Blake also maintained that the play was not reviewable.