Although Chancellor’s game-saving move was the first turnover of the game forced by Seattle, the Seahawks defence looked more than solid in holding the Lions to 256 offensive yards.
Advertisement
The controversy occurred in the final 1:45 when Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor punched the ball from Lions wideout Calvin Johnson before he crossed goal line. It bounded into the end zone where it was guided over the back line by K.J.
The play was over, but the call shouldn’t have been a touchback and the ball was given to the Seahawks at the 20-yard-line.
Except that back judge Greg Wilson didn’t believe Wright intentionally batted the ball. You would enforce the foul half the distance from that spot had we called an illegal bat on the field.
Carroll, who turned 64 last month, said he had never witnessed a similar play and added that he didn’t know the rule himself – a loose ball can not be batted in any direction in the end zone.
Detroit Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman reported Calvin Johnson’s statement taking responsibility for the entire situation.
“At the end of the day I have to hang onto the ball”. It’s an intentional act and you can’t rule on intent.
He wasn’t totally sure of the rule, but he knew it was not allowed, and if it happened to him, he’d still be livid. In response he said: “I’m not going to explain it, because it’s ridiculous”.
Considering The Wall Street Journal reported the average NFL game only has 11 minutes of anyone actually playing, more breaks in play are just about the last thing any football fan wants.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s postgame comments indicated he didn’t fully understand the rule, saying the Lions could’ve challenged intent even though penalties are not reviewable. The incident had an all too familiar feel to the “Fail Mary” incident that took place in 2012 in a game between Seattle and the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
“They say the truth sets you free, and that is the only thing I know how to do”, said Wright on Wednesday from the locker room at the Seahawks’ training facility.
“”I wanted to just knock it out of bounds and not try to catch it and fumble it”, he said”. “Doesn’t put a win in the win column for us”.
A controversial non-call may have cost the Detroit Lions their first win of the season following a wild finish to their 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday. Caldwell said the injury to Walker, who was taken off the field on a cart, was significant.
Advertisement
Under near-constant pressure, Wilson completed 20 of 26 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, displaying his creative scrambling abilities but also coughing up two of his team’s fumbles. “We’ve just got to get better and we have to improve in a few areas”. People, especially Lions fans, were understandably upset that the referee had not made the correct call, but the larger issue is once again the league’s overly complex rules – and the impossibility of all refs adequately understanding them.
