The Los Angeles Rams’ once-promising 2025 season took a turn for the worst when they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16 after blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.
A turning point in that game was when the Seahawks completed a two-point conversion to even the score at 30 with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The two-point conversion appeared unsuccessful at first as quarterback Sam Darnold attempted a quick pass to running back Zach Charbonnet, but the ball hit Jared Verse’s helmet and fell to the ground with the whistle being blown.
However, Charbonnet picked the ball up just inside the goal line and then began walking away with the assumption that the pass was incomplete. However, replay determined that the pass was thrown behind the line of scrimmage, so the ball was live and Charbonnet was able to advance it for the two-point conversion.
It was a confusing sequence of events, and the Rams would ultimately go on to lose in overtime and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Unsurprisingly, the Rams are planning to propose an NFL rule change that would make future similar two-point conversions unsuccessful, via Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports:
And sources tell CBS Sports the Rams are planning to propose rule changes that would effectively make the play an unsuccessful two-point try.
The Rams plan to propose at least one rule change this offseason, sources say, and there may be a second proposal aimed at certain details around that play. Teams regularly submit rules proposals toward the start of the new league year, and many of those proposals come in around the time of next week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
While the language remains unclear, one source with knowledge of the proposal(s) said the Rams’ goal is to “fix what went wrong in a few places.”
Here are the changes the Rams are proposing, via Mike Florio of NBC Sports:
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Rams have made two separate proposals. Under the first, a backward pass that is tipped by a defensive player and goes past the line of scrimmage would be treated like a fumble. This means that, during the final two minutes of a half, on fourth down, or on a conversion attempt, only the player who fumbled can recover the ball and advance it. If another offensive player recovers the ball, the offense gets the ball at the spot of the fumble.
The Rams’ second proposal would limit the time for the initiation of a replay review, capping it at either 40 seconds or a minute. Basically, if the replay process is going to activate, it needs to happen more quickly in order to keep the game moving.
Any potential proposals will likely be formally announced in the next month, and they will then get voted on at the annual league meetings in late March.
In order for a rule to change, at least 24 of the 32 team owners must vote in favor of the proposal.
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