Five Detroit Lions Takeaways from the win over Chicago

The Lions finally get a call

Oct 18, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) scores a touchdown while being pressured by Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit fans can list off a litany of officiating gaffes which have been significant contributing factors in multiple losses over the last few years. The latest came just two weeks ago when a recently demoted back judge missed an intentional batting call on K.J. Wright, costing the Lions a deserved chance to win the Monday Night Football game in Seattle.

So when Golden Tate (kind of) caught a Stafford pass just outside the end zone and (kind of) nosed the ball over the goal line before (kind of) fumbling the ball into the air, the ruling on the field of a James Anderson interception seemed like the correct call.
Except it wasn’t. Or maybe it was. Who the heck knows at this point what the NFL considers a catch anymore?

Somehow, referee Walt Coleman overturned the call and awarded Detroit a touchdown. NFL Director of Officiating Dean Blandino ham-handedly offered an odd explanation which didn’t exactly answer the question.

My take? I think the NFL got this one wrong, as is its custom in these situations. Tate made less of a football move with control of the ball than Dez Bryant did in Dallas’ playoff loss at Green Bay, a play ruled incomplete. It’s an overly complicated rule subject to whimsical interpretation by the on-field officials.
But as a Lions fan, I’ll take it. Tis better to be the dog than the NFL’s fire hydrant.