UPON FURTHER REVIEW…

Controversial Late Reversal Helps Lift Pack into NFC Title Game

They’ll be talking about this until anyone who saw it has long since passed away. In the NFC Divisional matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers the Pack came out of it on top by a count of 26 -21. The score will be rendered moot. What won’t and probably never will be soon forgotten was the challenge of Dez Bryant’s apparent catch on 4^th with 5 minutes to go that was initially ruled a catch that was overturned when Mike McCarthy won his first successful challenge of the season. Even those that saw it still don’t believe it.

With Dallas facing 4^th and 2 at the Green Bay 32 with 5 minutes left Tony Romo lofted a prayer of a rainbow intended for Bryant, who had been largely held in check most of the game. Leaping high above the much shorter Sam Shields Bryant snagged the ball, stumbled 3 steps and went down. That’s where everyone can agree on the facts.

Upon coming down with the ball Bryant attempted to lunge forward with the ball and upon hitting the ground the ball popped up and Bryant resnagged it while rolling in the end zone. The official had ruled on the field a catch and Bryant was down at the 1 yard line. The Packers were down to their last time out and Mike McCarthy had already lost one challenge. McCarthy was once fearful of tossing the red hankie but after overcoming his inhibitions he had become red hot and among the league’s best in winning his challenges.

That did not apply to this year. McCarthy had lost 5 challenges this year already. But desperate times call for desperate measures and this challenge smacked a bit of desperation. At first blanch the hearts of the 80,000+ in attendance and a riveted television felt their collective throats tighten. "Some people think throwing the red flag is fun," McCarthy said. "It was such an impactful play, you had to challenge. It was a confident challenge. And a hopeful one, too." While referee Gene Steratore went under the hood and Fox TV went to commercial not a single toilet in the land was flushed.

When Steratore emerged to announce the reversal Lambeau Field exploded in delight while Aaron Rodgers dragged his ailing leg back onto the field to try and seal the W. Afterwards a composed but dejected Jason Garret said "It looked to me like Dez had two feet down. He (Bryant) made a move common to the game, which is this thing they talk about a lot. We've seen him a number of times this year reach out and score touchdowns, making that same thing. It seemed like he had the ball at the end of the play as well. So all of those things factor into it." But Steratore said clearly that Bryant failed to “…maintain possession throughout the process of the catch and by rule the play was an incomplete pass…”, Packer ball 1^st and 10. The so-called “Calvin Johnson Rule” states that a receiver must hold onto the ball throughout entire process of contacting the ground which was echoed by the NFL’s Head of Officials Dean Blandino in a post-game tweet. As Bryant lunged forward the ball hit the turf and bounced up and out of his grasp momentarily but it was just enough to overturn the initial call. As the rule is written the reversal was the correct call. Given the athleticism a player of Bryant’s caliber possesses it is a call that made because of and not in spite of that same athleticism. NFL players have become so good and so talented that just catching the ball isn’t enough. No question Bryant caught the ball and in 20/20 hindsight had he merely been content to make the catch and not attempt his last lunge at the goal line and a score the outcome could have been very, very different.

The call will undoubtedly overshadow a gutty, gritty performance by Aaron Rodgers who played the game essentially on one leg. In the first half Rodgers looked nothing like the precision dart throwing machine he has become. Rodgers led the Packers down the field on their first drive to open the scoring with a 4 yard toss to TE Andrew Quarless. Cowboy QB Tony Romo was just as good leading the ‘Boys back to a halftime lead that had a little help. While he did not throw a pick at home again (Rodgers has now thrown 500+ straight passes at home without a pick) Rodgers’ early fumble greatly aided Dallas’ cause. The Cowboys took a 14 – 10 lead in at the half and the talk was rampant about how much Rodgers torn left calf muscle was hurting him and the Packers.

Just before the half Green Bay got a boost when Datone Jones got a hand on Dan Bailey’s field goal attempt to keep the Packers within 4 points. The Packers defense played well all afternoon and for the most part held league leading RB DeMarco Murray in check. Murray’s biggest run came late when he ripped off a 29 yarder but he lost the battle of the backs to Eddie Lacy who ground out 101 tough yards. While Murray ran for 123 yards he did not do enough damage to be as large a factor as Lacy was for Green Bay. Lacy did not play as much as McCarthy would have hoped. Lacy’s asthma became problematic early in the 20 degree weather that limited his time on the field. He made the most of his chances when he had them.

Dallas defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, the former Lions boss was very familiar with the Packers. His scheme was fine. The Packers biggest weapons in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb were the primary focus of the Dallas D. Nelson had a tough time getting open and McCarthy’s creative deployment of Cobb made Dallas D’s day a long one. The plan was well executed but for one small factor. Rookie Davante Adams had the game of his life with 7 catches for 117 yards and a huge highlight reel catch and ruin TD. In neutralizing Nelson and Cobb Adams found himself open and targeted more frequently by Rodgers. After Murray’s 1 yard plunge gave Dallas a bigger cushion at 21 -13 Rodgers suddenly resembled the likely league MVP form he had all year. As Adams went on a crossing route Rodgers fired a missile into the rookie’s hands and Adams dumped a shake n bake on Cowboy S J.J. Wilcox, a move the at left the overmatched DB with sore ankles and a strained neck as he turned to watch Adams haul the rock in on a 46 yard sprint to then corner pylon. There was a bit of head scratching when McCarthy sent out K Mason Crosby for the PAT and not going for the expected 2oint attempt. Crosby hit two long field goals with nary a waver on the day and his kick closed the Cowboys’ lead to just 1 point at 21 – 20.

Nelson was held in check with only 2 catches but Cobb became the go to guy in the key spots. His 8 catches for 116 yards were on par with Adams and it was Cobb that emerged late to make the key grabs. His stumbling, rolling grab of a tipped pass for 12 yards and a first down on 3^rd and 11 ensured the Packers would make a return trip to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 4 years. He was a little too jacked after the catch; in his exuberance he was flagged for delay of game when he threw the ball down the fields in celebration. “I went a little carzy” a chagrined Cobb admitted afterwards with a smile. He wasn’t alone in the less-than-composed department. Guard T.J. Lang almost touched off a riot when his late blasting shot at DT Nick Hayden just after the whistle blew after Adams caught a 5 yard pass and was fighting for extra yards. In the pushing and shoving that ensued Lang was hit with what could have been a very costly 15 yarder that made it 3^rd and 16 instead of 3^rd and 1 form the Cowboy 7. “I saw guys still wrapping him (Adams) up trying to take him to the ground,” Lang said. “I thought I heard the whistle as soon as I made contact with the guy, so I didn’t think it was late. That’s not the kind of game I play. I just try to take care of my guys. I obviously felt (terrible) there after the penalty – there’s no guarantee we would have scored a touchdown – but maybe taking four points off the board,” Lang continued. “So I’m probably the happiest guy in the locker room that we won.”

As the game heated up did the Packers D. Following the drive and score OLB Nick Perry sacked Romo on consecutive plays in a key defensive stop, one that was critical to Green Bay building and keeping momentum. The Packers defense sacked Romo a total of 4 times. The defense had a stellar day as Julius Peppers chipped in with 2 forced fumbles, none bigger than the chop he laid on Murray when Murray saw a hole open as wide as the Red Sea parting in front of him. The timing could not been better for the Packers as Murray would have had an awful lot of real estate in front of him.

 

With the game on the line Rodgers simply ignored the pain in his leg and drove the Packers once again. Moving around more liberally in the pocket he rolled out and found rookie Richard Rodgers running across the back of the end zone as Green Bay took the lead back 26 – 21 when the 2 point try failed to connect. The dramatic comeback left a little over 9 minutes left, enough time to set the stage for a play that will be chewed up and dissected for years to come. ESPN’s Skip Useless will probably choke on his cheese curds over this one while there will be some in Detroit who feel the Cowboys got exactly what they deserved.

So let’s do a quick study called “The Seven Degrees of Officiating Adventures”. Let’s start in Seattle a couple years back when the replacement refs roamed the earth. Rookie Russell Wilson lofts a Hail Mary that Packers Safety M.D. Jennings intercepts. But upon further review it is ruled a touchdown. Now let’s roll ahead a few years. Ndamukong Suh stomps on the Packers’ Evan Dietrich Smith’s arm but is not hit with a flag on Thanksgiving Day. But upon further review the NFL overturns the non-call and sits Suh for 2 games.

Roll ahead to this year. Suh steps on Rodgers’ already injured leg and then does it again and is suspended by the NFL 1 game for it – the playoff game against the Cowboys. But upon further review Suh is let off with a reinstatement as he had not committed any felonies since The Stomp and only a few indiscriminate misdemeanors – like the kick to Matt Schaub’s private area that drew no additional time off. So while Suh is playing against the Cowboys last week Matthew Stafford attempts to hit Brandon Pettigrew who in turn is run over by the Cowboys Anthony Hitchens who is flagged for pass interference. The call is made over the PA system. But upon further review the flag is picked up, the penalty against Dallas forgiven and the Lions are escorted out the door.

And then The Reversal that sunk Dallas on Sunday. There is no greater poetic justice than the Packers going back to the scene of the original crime in Seattle next week to play for the right to go back to the Super Bowl, the circle of screwball calls and rulings and re-rulings and reversals having been fully completed. The irony is not lost. The Reversal will overshadow a truly well-played game by two very good football teams. Garrett was on the money when he said afterwards that the call did not lose the game for the Cowboys. Granted, it did not help their cause but he felt his team did not make enough plays.

The Reversal will also take some shine off the Packers resiliency and gutty comeback performance. The Packers have come to expect hanging 40+ points on opponents at home and then running away. Only the Jets had the Packers behind at home this year as much as the Cowboys did. WR Terrence Williams emerged as the ‘Boys new threat not named Bryant with his nifty catch and run TD over Tramon Williams who was left in the dust, a score that was matched by Adams’ TD grab.

For their efforts the Packers get to go into Seattle to face a Seahawks team that is hungry for another Super Bowl run. For the moment the win over Dallas can be savored. But come Monday morning the Pack begins preparing to go back to the season opener and the site of an embarrassing 36 -16 blowout. The challenge all along has been to close the gap with Seattle.

Now that challenge to see how much that gap has narrowed is this week’s reality.