The Green Bay Packers had their three-game win streak snapped on Sunday, as Jared Goff and the rival Detroit Lions defeated them, 20-17. While Packers kicker Trey Smack missed a 35-yard field goal with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a Lions' game-winning drive, there were several questionable officiating calls that played into Detroit's favor as well. In all, Green Bay was penalized eight times for 81 yards.
Many of those calls, though, were called into question and outright blasted by the Packers. Safety Xavier McKinney felt it was necessary to make it clear how disgusted he was with the calls on Sunday, calling them "bullshit" after the game. "I don't know how the NFL's going to treat it, but I'm not a big fan of the refs right now," McKinney said.
"I don't think it's great officiating, if I'm being completely honest. I think it's bullshit a lot of the times." One of the most controversial calls was a roughing-the-passer penalty on Karl Brooks with 2:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, adding 15 yards to an 18-yard gain by Sam LaPorta. Even Fox commentator and legendary quarterback Tom Brady couldn't hide his disgust.
There's no way," Brady said. "That's definitely not roughing the passer." Many of the questionable calls involved personal foul penalties that either seemed like a stretch or were completely unclear. Earlier in the third quarter, the Lions were given an automatic first down when Brenton Cox Jr. was called for roughing the passer after attempting to catch himself while fighting through a block.
He did put his hands on Goff, but did not extend or make any illegal action that could have qualified as roughing the passer. At least, that's what Brady and rules analyst Dean Blandino believe. Very questionable roughing the passer call against the #Packers that everyone on the telecast disagreed with, including Tom Brady, who said: “I don’t like it either.” 🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/40PiMm91Ri "I don't know," Cox said about his penalty, per ESPN.
"I'm trying to give you a good answer, but it's disappointing that these are veteran guys -- I'm not trying to go after the refs -- well-informed guys, and I feel like you've got to know the difference between what's intentional and what's not." In the third quarter, Devonte Wyatt was flagged for unnecessary roughness after he took down Amon-Ra St. Brown, who got up with the ball and tried to run as if the play was still alive. Brown down, who accidentally cleated an official in the gut.
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