The Worst Call That I Have Ever Seen

Did anyone catch that Monday Night Football game between the visiting Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks? It ended on a very controversial play, and that is putting it mildly. The hometown Seattle Seahawks, who had benefited from a few bad calls that went in their favor, were down, 12-7. It was 4th down, with mere seconds left on the clock, so this was going to be the last play of the game, one way or the other. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson heaved the ball towards the corner of the end zone, generally in the direction of wide receiver Golden Tate, more or less a prayer pass. And the prayer was answered. Only not by divine intervention, but by poor officiating. Very poor. 

Packers defender M. D. Jennings, one of several Packers defenders in the area, caught the call, and came down with it, landing on receiver Golden Tate, who had his arms wrapped around Jennings in what normally would have been a tackle (it would have been had it been midfield, for example). But Tate, to his credit, immediately attempted to wrestle the ball away, and was successful enough to confuse the refs, who came running in. Two of them, to be specific. They both made their call, but they conflicted with one another.

The play was reviewed by tape, and the outcome seemed clear. Yet, once they completed the review, they confirmed the on the field call, which had ruled the play a touchdown. Seahawks win.

I have been a fan of American football since the 1981 NFL season, and this was perhaps the weirdest game, and certainly the weirdest call, that I have ever seen. But that is perhaps too mild, because "weird" just does not cut it. This was exactly what the NFL was hoping wouldn't happen.

That was the worst call to end a football game that I've ever seen. The Packers won that game, a tough game to be sure, but instead were robbed. The officials literally cost them the game there. A couple of bad calls against them, to be sure, but that final play was nothing short of robbery. Maybe it's time that the regulars come back. Truly abysmal, and pathetic.

I will say this, though: Jennings should have just slapped it down to the ground, so there would be absolutely no chance of anything funny going down. That said, he did get the interception, and what transpired from that point on was ridiculous. One of the most blatantly horrible calls I've ever seen in sports, period.

Once the call had been made, and the outcome of the game decided (for worse, surely not for better), the Green Bay Packers ran off the field, followed by the Seattle Seahawks. There was not even an extra point attempt at that point, and so the players from both teams were called back. If I had been Packers Coach McCarthy, I would have simply refused to have my team go back out on the field, after being robbed.like that.