Officials Push Packers, Green Bay Beats Detroit Lions on MNF, 23-22

The Green Bay Packers moved to 5-1 after beating the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. Mason Crosby’s 23-yard field goal as the time ran out, ignited the crowd at Lambeau Field as their Packs posted a minimal, 23-22, victory.

But except for being a tight one, this game was highly controversial. The referees pushed the home team a little bit as they penalized the Lions on two occasions in the moments when the game was on the line. The Packers faced third downs when the officials flagged Trey Flowers due to illegal hand to the face penalty. But when watching it closely, there weren’t any real reasons to punish the Lions’ defensive end, and the Packs twice moved the chains because of the refs.

“I actually changed the position of my hand, because it was to the chest initially,” Flowers said. “I was doing it all game. I didn’t know that was a flag to the chest, so I changed it. And he called it again.”

Illegal hands to the chest phantom call on Trey Flowers goes from a sack to 1st down Packers 😂 what a joke! #LambeauRefs pic.twitter.com/9IqBxLLXHv

— Rick Sosa (@sosarick) October 15, 2019

But besides the officials, the guests have to be angry at themselves also. They headed into the second period with a 13-0 lead and weren’t able to score up until the middle of the third. After Kerryon Johnson’s one-yard run with 6:35 in the opening quarter, Matt Prater was the one who collected points for the Lions. Detroit’s kicker was good, and his field goals were from 26, 22, 41, 51, and 54 yards.

That last one was with 2:43 into the final sequence, and it lifted the Lions to 22-13, but it wasn’t enough for them to post a win in Green Bay.

“Certainly, we got to get touchdowns,” said Matt Patricia, who wasn’t happy with the officiating after the match.” We got to get those points.”

Matthew Staford threw for 265 yards without any touchdowns or passed with 18 completions in 32 yards. He was also sacked three times, for 22 negative yards, and fumbled the ball once. The Lions had an awful night with running, posting just 56 yards through the ground.

Kenny Golladay had 121 receiving yards on 5 catches.

Meanwhile, the home team was once again led by Aaron Rodgers, who didn’t have the help of his two top targets in the most critical situations Davante Adams is out, and Geronimo Alisson had to go out because of a helmet to helmet hit. But there were Jamaal Williams and Allen Lazard who played the game of his career.

The 23-year old wide receiver who was cut by the Packs in August then resigned again posted a 35-yard touchdown and had 4 catches for 65 yards. Mercedes Lewis had 2 for 50, while fantastic Williams carried the ball 14 times for 104 yards. The home team managed to produce 170 rushing yards on 29 running attempts, which is 5.9 per carry which is superb.

Rodgers had 283 yards, 24 of 39 for two TDs and one pick, but led that last game-winning drive, which started at GB’s 18 and lasted for 6:46 before Crosby’s dagger.

“It worked out, we just wanted points,” Rodgers said right after the game, when the reporter asked him about the length of the drive and whether was that the strategy of the Packs.

“We battled, made some mistakes, turned the ball over a bunch, but there is a lot of resolve in this team,” added the Packs’ no.12.

Green Bay is now 5-1 and 3-0 in the NFC, the first time since 2012. Their next opponents are the Oakland Raiders at home before traveling to Kansas City, and LA where they face the Chargers.

On the other side, the Lions are 2-2-1, and the next two games at home are crucial for their season. The first one next week is against the divisional rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, and following that versus the Giants. If they win both of them, Patricia’s team will stay in the race for the playoffs. If they don’t, the postseason will be tough to reach.