The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions faced off in an intense Thursday night game, which was marred by poor officiating from start to finish. The game was tight, with the Lions trailing 28-24 in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jared Goff delivered a go-ahead touchdown pass to Tim Patrick, but the play should not have counted due to a clear and obvious holding penalty by Detroit’s offensive line, which the officials missed.
The NFL’s official X account (formerly Twitter) shared a clip of the touchdown pass, but it conveniently omitted the missed penalty. Fans quickly noticed the omission and criticized the league for trying to cover up the mistake. Many took to social media to point out that the edited clip ignored the holding violation, further fueling frustration with the officiating.
Former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert was particularly vocal in his criticism of the referees. He called out the missed penalty, noting that an untouched blitzer was dragged before getting to Goff. Benkert emphasized how blatant the hold was, which many fans also agreed with. His comments reflected widespread anger about the questionable officiating that affected the outcome of the game.
In one of his posts, Benkert described the game’s outcome as “tainted” due to the missed penalty. He suggested that the decision ultimately impacted the final result, adding to the controversy surrounding the officiating. Many fans felt that the error was a significant factor in the game’s outcome, fueling debates on social media.
Despite the officiating controversy, the Lions managed to win the game 34-31 with a field goal as time expired. The win gave them a crucial victory over the Packers, who have struggled against their NFC North rivals. Detroit’s triumph allowed them to sweep the regular-season series against Green Bay, a notable achievement for the Lions.
Looking ahead, the Lions’ victory puts them in a strong position for the postseason, as they now hold a good chance of securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. This win further boosts their chances of making a deep playoff run, and many are already speculating about a potential rematch between the two teams in the postseason.
In the end, while Detroit celebrated the win, the game will likely be remembered for the controversial officiating. The missed penalty and the NFL’s attempt to cover it up have overshadowed the thrilling conclusion, leaving many fans and analysts questioning the integrity of the league’s officiating system.
