Richard Sherman talks about that final play against Julio Jones

SEATTLE – Prepare to be shocked.

Yes, Richard Sherman thinks he was penalized on the Falcons’ final offensive play against the Seahawks on Sunday.

And no, he doesn’t think the NFL calls games fairly.

The Seattle Seahawks cornerback said Wednesday at a press conference at the VMAC that Falcons receiver Julio Jones whacked him in the face at the beginning of the play on Sunday – a play that finished with what many believed was Sherman committing pass interference on Jones.

“It’s difficult to recover when you almost fall at the beginning of the play, you get pushed in the face,” Sherman said. “If I pushed a receiver in the face, I can guarantee it would be the highlight of every SportsCenter, every everything, if that was the fourth quarter, the last play, and I pushed him in the face.”

The play in question was a 4th and 10 with the Seahawks up 26-24. Replays showed Jones pushing Sherman in the face, causing Sherman to nearly fall down, then Sherman catching up and grabbing Jones’ arm as they angled for the ball.

“Even the NFL played a video and didn’t show the front of the play,” Sherman said. “That’s just how the league is about defensive players.”

Sherman said there was no question in his mind that Jones did it on purpose.

“One-hundred percent intentional,” he said. “That’s just how the league is. It’s an offensive league. They don’t want to help the defense in the least.”

Sherman said he’d like to see the NFL change its pass-interference rules, so that instead of the ball being marked at the spot of the foul, it was a 15-yard penalty.

“It’s not going to change because it’s not affecting the offense,” Sherman said. “It’s not affecting points being scared. They don’t care if the defense is not getting calls.”