Refs add more fuel to Lions’ fans fire with explanation of bad call vs. Packers

The Detroit Lions ultimately didn't do enough to deserve to beat the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day, as epitomized by a 31-24 loss that puts their playoff odds on the ropes. If some critical margins had gone the other way, fourth down success being a prominent one, perhaps the result would have been different.

In the second quarter, a couple of iffy officiating calls went against the Lions and dramatically for the Packers.

Packers cornerback Jordan Love connected with wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks on what was called a 22-yard touchdown in the moment. Upon further review, it was highly questionable that he got his right foot down.

Upon multiple viewings and rewinds it's plausible to say Wicks got his right foot down at the same time he had control of the ball. That's the only rationale for keeping it a touchdown, since his right foot was never down in-bounds otherwise. There is an argument there was not enough to overturn it.

Later in the quarter, the Packers clearly committed a false start in the red zone on a fourth down. But it was ruled head coach Matt LaFleur had called a timeout before the penalty.

With renewed life, Love threw a touchdown to wide receiver Romeo Doubs on the next play.

Like Richard Silva of the Detroit News noted, it would've been pretty hard for LaFleur to yell for timeout with his play sheet over his mouth. His hand signal for timeout came well after the penalty.

When asked about the false start/timeout thing after the game, LaFleur was his typical smug self.

Refs add fuel to Lions' fans fire with bad explanations for questionable calls

After each game, the head referee fields questions from one reporter. That's when controversial calls get asked about, and after Thursday's game Colton Pouncy of The Athletic was the pool reporter with referee Ron Torbert and President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth.

Pouncy asked Butterworth was was seen on Wicks' touchdown that led to the confirmation he had possession of the ball and both feet in-bounds.

"The ruling on the field was touchdown. We saw control with his right foot down and his left down in the end zone and then a third step out of the end zone."

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Pouncy asked the slam-dunk follow-up question about Wicks' possibly bobbling the ball.

"No. These receivers are that good, he controls the ball with his hand. But with his hands or arm above his body, while pulling it down, by rule, he can actually pull that ball into his body as he completes the process of a catch."

Saying a receiver who has had drop issues like Wicks has had in his career is "that good" is something. But keeping that touchdown a touchdown was less egregious than the false start before the timeout that led to a Packers' touchdown in a seven-point game.

Or course, Pouncy got to that too, asking Torbert what the conversation was that led to granting the Packers a timeout.

"The timeout was called before the false start happened."

Pouncy brought up how it looked like LaFleur had his mouth covered at the time the penalty occurred. So at what point did the official hear him ask for timeout?

Torbert did not waver.

"Before the false start."

Pouncy, being the good reporter he is, then asked how was the conclusion reached that the timeout occurred first?

"We talked about it on the field, Torbert said. "We recognized the timeout called, and that the timeout was called before the false start."

As loud as Ford Field was for much of the game, if LaFleur did yell for timeout, he would not have been heard. Hence his movement down the sideline to physically signal for the timeout he wanted.

Tom Rinaldi was on the Packers' sideline for FOX, and he confirmed the flag flew before LaFleur called timeout. The video evidence backs that up.

The only thing worse than blant officiating mistakes is bad explanations for the blatant mistakes. In the situation of the false start and timeout on Thursday, shouldn't there be someone upstairs who is empowered to advise, and if necessary overrule, the call on something like that? Especially in today's world where everyone can instantly and clearly see that call was wrong, then Torbert offers a lame and inexplicable explanation for it after the game.

Bad calls aside, the Packers were the better team on Thursday. But when these kind of bad explanations follow those bad calls, Lions' fans have another reason to shake their heads after a tough loss.