NFL officiating under fire for Seahawks vs. Rams game that altered NFC Playoff field

Multiple executives and coaches criticized the NFL officiating that altered the NFC playoff field following the Seattle Seahawks’ win over the Los Angeles Rams last weekend, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Seattle won in overtime and managed to earn the No. 7 seed in the Wild Card playoffs after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Detroit Lions. Because of Seattle’s win, Detroit could not make the postseason despite the win-and-in scenario for the Packers.

The complaints described the officiating in the Rams-Seahawks game as the worst officiated game of the year, according to Schefter.

“Multiple executives and coaches said the NFL needs to reevaluate how it chooses and trains its officiating staff for future seasons,” Schefter wrote. “Those same executives and coaches said game officials and the league missed multiple calls that helped key the Seahawks’ overtime victory over the Rams that sent Seattle to Saturday’s wild-card round and prevented the Detroit Lions from reaching the playoffs …

“One source told ESPN this week that the NFL must do a better job of screening, hiring and training its officials; the league can’t have games in which teams’ seasons are on the line and have questionable and impactful calls such as the ones in the Rams-Seahawks Week 18 game.”

The Seahawks begin their playoff quest against the No. 2 seeded 49ers in San Francisco Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.