Colby Parkinson pulls off controversial touchdown catch for Rams to help spark late run vs. Lions

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Colby Parkinson and the Los Angeles Rams picked up a controversial touchdown on Sunday afternoon to help spark a second-half surge in their matchup with the Detroit Lions.

Parkinson, late in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium, hauled in a deep 26-yard touchdown pass with Lions safety Daniel Thomas right on him. Parkinson caught the ball over his left shoulder and went down seemingly just shy of the goal line. His knee was clearly down around the 1-yard line, and his body was fully short of the goal line at that point, though both he and Thomas spilled into the end zone.

Thomas immediately jumped up and tried to plead for an incomplete pass, but the official standing at the pylon felt differently. 

The play was ruled a touchdown in the moment, and then was upheld after a replay review — which determined that Parkinson did in fact break the plane for the touchdown.

The touchdown was Parkinson’s fifth of the season. It put the Rams up by a field goal at the time, too.

The Rams quickly pushed their lead to double digits after forcing a quick three-and-out. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford then led the Rams on a two-play drive that lasted less than a minute before Blake Corum broke open an 11-yard touchdown run on their next time out. That marked 20 unanswered points for the Rams, who entered halftime down by a touchdown.

The Rams entered Sunday’s contest with a 10-3 record and a narrow lead in the NFC West race. 

This post will be updated with more information shortly.