Lions players blast NFL officials after phantom calls cost them a win over the Packers

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Lions players blast NFL officials after phantom calls cost them a win over the Packers

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Tracy Walker

AP Images/Rick Osentoski

Lions safety Tracy Walker was openly frustrated with the officiating in Monday night's game against the Packers.

  • The Detroit Lions lost a heartbreaking game on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers after several blown calls from the officials went against them.
  • Lions safety Tracy Walker was called for unnecessary roughness while making a play on the ball, and defensive end Trey Flowers was called for illegal hands to the face twice on plays that kept the Packers alive.
  • After the game, Walker and Flowers both expressed frustration with how the officials had called the game.
  • The outrage over Monday night's game could spur change from the league, but what that change would look like remains to be seen.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Detroit Lions were open with their frustrations regarding the officiating in Monday night's game against the Green Bay Packers.

After losing 23-22 on a Mason Crosby field goal that went through the uprights as time expired, the Lions couldn't help but feel that a few blown calls that went against them had cost them the game.

Safety Tracy Walker was blunt in his criticism. "Awful. It was an awful call," Walker said, speaking to his unnecessary roughness on the first play of the second half. "I felt like I went for the ball and just so happened we collided, but I was looking for the ball. It was an awful call by them. It is what it is, though."

Walker made contact with Geronimo Allison on a bang-bang play but was clearly making an effort towards the ball rather than taking out a hard hit on his opponent.

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The Packers go on to finish the drive with a field goal that tied the game at 13-13.

Had that been the only call that went against the Lions, it might have been no more frustrating than any other NFL game - referees have to make tough decisions on the field, and the league has been calling helmet contact tighter and tighter this season. But as the second half wore on, the Lions couldn't catch a break.

The biggest phantom penalties of the game came on two devastating calls against Lions defensive end Trey Flowers. After the Lions built their lead back up to 22-13, the Packers were attempting to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. On a third-and-10 play close to midfield, it appeared that the Lions defense had made the stop, with Kevin Strong sacking Aaron Rodgers for a big loss.

Read more: 'Just let us play!': Tom Brady criticizes NFL officiating during game he wasn't playing in

But Flowers was called for illegal hands to the face, giving the Packers an automatic first down to keep the comeback going. Replays showed Flowers apparently keeping his hands high on his opponent's shoulder pads, but the call stood, and the Packers went on to score a touchdown to cut the Lions lead to 22-20.

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After Detroit was forced to punt, the Packers began yet another drive with just under seven minutes remaining in the game. They would move the ball into the Lions red zone with around two minutes left when they were faced with another third down. Detroit forced an incompletion, but Flowers was once again flagged for illegal hands to the face. Again replays showed that he had apparently kept his hands down through the play.

Here are both plays, which look nearly identical.

After the game, Flowers said he had even tried to change his approach in order to avoid such a call.

"I actually changed the position of my hand, because it was to the chest initially," Flowers said. "Which is right here. I was doing it all game."

"That's part of a move that I do, and yeah, I don't think it's a penalty."

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The Lions weren't the only ones mad about the calls. On Twitter, fans and former players and coaches alike voiced their displeasure with the officials seeming to decide the outcome of the game.

 

The loss is especially brutal coming in a division game, with the Packers moving to a 3-0 record against the NFC North it what looks like the toughest division in the NFL. It's not hard to imagine this game having huge ramifications for both teams down the line depending on how the season plays out.

It's possible that the outcome of Monday night's change could spark some change in officiating in the immediate future, as we've already seen a few adjustments made with regard to how officials are calling holding penalties and pass interference.

But even if those changes are made, it's too late for them to help Detroit.

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