Monday Night Football Afterword: Seahawks vs Packers

It certainly would appear so.

Words can’t even describe how frustrated and appalled I am at the events of last night. Well, I suppose they can, but what is the point when everything that can be said has been and has not made a difference? It really is getting to the point of near hopelessness. You know the feeling you get when you are so frustrated that all you can do is scream and cry because you don’t know any other way to vent those emotions? I’m so close to that point I’m not sure how I haven’t yet been pushed over the edge.

This game was one of the greatest defensive games I have seen in as long as I can remember. For what should have been an epic battle, exactly what the late Steve Sabol made even the blandest game appear to be, to be compromised by the incompetency of the officials the NFL is putting on the field is outrageous.

Adam Schefter said it well. We had the Immaculate Reception, which was and still is controversial because of the lack of video evidence; we had the Music City Miracle, which is less controversial because we have video evidence, but it is so close that people don’t have to accept one outcome or another; and now we have this. I don’t know how that pass is not an interception; I don’t know how there were two opposing calls on the field; I don’t know how this doesn’t make it a top priority for the NFL to get the real officials back, but I’m sure the NFL and Roger Goodell will figure out how.

My thoughts on the first half of last night’s game? It seemed to be well officiated. It was certainly very well played by both defenses, as the first score of the game ended the longest scoring drought to begin any game so far this season. Also, I finally saw why Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting job in Seattle with his ability to escape from pressure and deliver a flawless touchdown pass to Golden Tate. I saw a game, a legitimate game, a game the NFL could be proud of showing on national television.

How about the third quarter? Also pretty well officiated. We got to see Mike McCarthy outcoach Pete Carroll as the Packers not only continued to put good defensive schemes up against the Seattle offense, but Green Bay also began marching the ball by mixing more consistent running from Cedric Benson with terrific throws by Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay clawed their way back to a 7-6 deficit at the start of the 4^th quarter.

But that final 15 minutes, oh boy what a tragedy it was. But it wasn’t really the entire final 15 minutes. It was the final three drives in particular. Two Seattle drives and a Packers drive in between. Well, the Packers drive was fine, no officiating issues there.

First, there was the bogus roughing the passer call on Erik Walden that negated an interception that would have put the Packers in field goal territory with a chance to extend their lead to 15 (or even up to 20) to 7. Later on the same drive, on 1^st & 25 Sam Shields was flagged for pass interference. I saw so many tweets I was shocked the Twitter servers didn’t go down; but that was nothing compared to the end of the game, as I would find out.

Now, that Seattle drive would stall after a failed 4^th & 3 attempt. No harm no foul, right? Wrong! I already mentioned that the interception that was wrongly taken away would have almost certainly meant points for Green Bay. But even the pass interference was huge because without it, it would have been 2^nd & 25, very unlikely to be converted, and the Packers would have the ball in good field position. Even if they don’t convert a first down, Seattle has a much longer field to drive down for a chance at a last-second game-winning touchdown.

Fast forward to that final drive, the final play. 4^th & 10, eight seconds left in the game, it is the moment that every NFL fan loves! We’re on the edge of our seat, eyes glued to the television set, every muscle tensed, ready to spring up in excitement or grab the nearest object and fling it against the wall, whichever action the outcome of the play calls for. But what happened left me speechless. I already said what happened early in this post, so I won’t say it again. But I sat there, stunned, staring at the screen, head spinning, jaw dropped, not moving a single muscle, not even to shake my head in disbelief.

And here I am, in the same position of so many sports analysts, which is the same position as the ‘common fan.’ That is, I know what the problem is; I know that the replacement refs are not fully at fault and that the fault truly lies with Roger Goodell and the NFL. But what can I do about it? Absolutely (expletive) nothing!! I can choose not to watch the games, but what will that do? Enough people will watch that the NFL losing me as a viewer won’t matter; all that will do is put me at a disadvantage as I attempt to cover the sport. Yet I know that if this continues, and I keep watching, I won’t have any hair by the end of the season.

I will end with this: congrats to the players and coaches on a fantastic, well-played game. I am so, so sorry that the NFL, by placing these officials on the field, have called the legitimacy of the outcome into question.

I originally considered doing a video blog post, but The All-Sports Crew will have another special Tuesday broadcast tonight at 9pm. Eric, Saswat and I plan to talk about a lot of stuff, but no doubt the officials will be a main topic. If we don’t get to much else between tonight and tomorrow, we will get together and put another recording to podcast later in the week. Just ‘like’ us on Facebook and keep up with our updates. Thanks everyone.