VIDEO: 4 Terrible Calls That Completely Screwed the Lions Against Packers on Monday Night Football
By Michael Luciano
The Detroit Lions played a solid game in all three phases, and were set to win their fifth straight against the Green Bay Packers under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. Unfortunately, the zebras decided to muddle everything up, completely blowing three major calls that screwed the Lions out of a win and a 3-1-1 start to the season at Lambeau.
4. Kerryon Johnson's "Drop"
The refs decided that even after taking THREE steps with the football before it fell out of his hands and squirted out of bounds past the first down marker, running back Kerryon Johnson dropped the ball rather than fumbling. Rather than continue their march to the end zone, Matthew Stafford and the Lions were forced to settle for another Matt Prater field goal, which came back to haunt them late.
3. No Pass Interference Call on Marvin Jones
He got there early. He wrapped his arm around his chest. It would have given the Lions a first down deep in Green Bay territory. Another year, and even more missed pass interference calls. Unbelievable.
2. Trey Flowers Hands to the Face, Part 1
Flowers, Detroit's big free agent acquisition, was twice called for a hands to the face penalty against Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari despite never touching his facemask. Twice, Flowers grabbed Bakhtiari in the shoulder area, Bakhtiari rocked his head back, and the refs fell for it. The first incident wiped out a third-down sack and gifted Green Bay a first down.
1. Trey Flowers Hands to the Face, Part 2
This one is somehow even more inexcusable. On third down in the red zone with just under two minutes left, Detroit forced a Rodgers incompletion, but Flowers was once again flagged for hands to the face despite -- and this is critical -- NOT TOUCHING BAKHTIARI'S FACE. There's no explanation for referees missing a call of that magnitude not once, but twice on the same player in the same game.