Packers pay as stand-in refs foul up

“I’ve never seen anything like that in all my years in football.”

That was all Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy could bring himself to say late on Monday night after a controversial refereeing decision snatched victory from his side during a dramatic finish in Seattle that could force the end of the protracted dispute between the NFL and its on-field officials.

It came hot on the heels of another disappointing weekend for the league when the excitement of the games was matched by the ineptitude of the lower level referees who have been brought in to replace the more experienced officials, embroiled in a pension dispute with the league.

With time elapsed and the home team down by five points, a ‘Hail Mary’ pass from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was deemed to have been caught jointly by wide receiver Golden Tate and defender MD Jennings. NFL rules state that when a pass is caught by two players at the same time, the attacking player gets the benefit of the doubt.

Replays seemed to prove that the Green Bay back had successfully intercepted the ball and chaos ensued. Under official review, the touchdown was allowed. In an official statement yesterday, the NFL backed the official review. The first three weeks of the season have been littered with poor decisions, with the most significant anger reserved for the league itself. It had been widely predicted a game would be decided by an error, which has now come to pass. Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman spoke for many when he tweeted: “These games are a joke”.