He turned for the ball near the Falcons' sideline and started to put his hands in position to catch a well-placed ball thrown by quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

Only one problem.

"I was trying to catch it with one hand," Rice said. "I couldn't even get my other (right) arm up, to make an attempt to catch it with two hands."

That's because Falcons cornerback Domonique Foxworth was covering him, and he appeared to pull Rice's right arm down, before the ball arrived.

But Rice said the official gave him the indication that there wasn't a penalty on the play, inspiring Atlanta coach Mike Smith to jump up and down and snatch the grounded ball in celebration.

"I don't get paid to referee," Rice diplomatically said.

But Jackson believed there should have been a pass interference call on the play, which would have given the Vikings a first down.

"We think it is pass interference. But it is the ref's job to make that call, and he made the call, and obviously he thought he made the right call," Jackson said. "We will go back and look at it on film. But we are going to be biased anyway because it is our guy.

"Whenever a guy can't put his hand up, he can only put one hand up, obviously it's probably pass interference," Jackson said. "But he made the call."

Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan kneeled out the final two plays, securing the Falcons' victory.