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Seahawks vs Lions: Did Refs Cheat Lions Out Of Victory Over Seahawks?

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 02:16 PST, Oct 6, 2015

The Seahawks vs. Lions game ended in controversy on Monday night. The Detroit Lions are now 0-4, and fans are blaming referees for robbing the struggling team of its first win of the season. What happened? Bleacher Report writer Rob Goldberg said it came down to a failure by referees to make a crucial call.

It’s hard to call it a genuinely shocking defeat. Devastating perhaps, but not surprising. Prior to the game’s controversial failed call, it’s not as though the Lions were dominating the Seahawks. It was virtually a one-touchdown-game, as neither Detroit nor Seattle was able to get much of an offensive game going.

The tense match could go either way right up until the closing two minutes of the game, at which point it appeared the Lions would have the final say.

Bleacher Report writes that Lions player Calvin Johnson was on the threshold of a touchdown when Kam Chancellor of the Seahawks managed to knock the ball free. It was a heart-wrenching moment for Detroit fans, who could practically taste victory. To add insult to injury, Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright “batted the ball out of the end zone” and got away with it.

This incident is highly significant as Dean Blandino, the head of officiating for the NFL, noted that Wright’s actions should have allowed the Lions to retain the ball at the one-yard line. It could very well have led to a touchdown or possibly a field goal — either of which would have won the game for Detroit.

Bizarrely, the referee called a touchback for Seattle. That was puzzling, as many have since noted that the official saw Chancellor commit the illegal foul. He was reportedly staring directly at the player as the penalty happened. The fact that he not only failed to call the illegal move but also made a call in favor of Seattle at that crucial moment is both baffling and disturbing.

Unfortunately for the Detroit Lions and their outraged fans, this is one bitter loss they’ll have to deal with. Blandino agreed that the referee failed to make a vital call but said it’s “not a reviewable” play. In other words, it’s an acknowledged error but there’s nothing to be done in the aftermath except hope that officials are more vigilant in the future.

Despite the controversial call putting the game in their favor, the Seahawks don’t have too much reason to celebrate. Their touchdown against the Lions marked the first time they’ve managed to score in the first half of a game this season. Their victory, however questionable, over Detroit brings them to a mediocre 2-2. They missed Marshawn Lynch on Monday due to injury, and despite his show of promise, Jimmy Graham continues to be “a non-factor” for Seattle.

The Seahawks may need to find the fire that helped them feature in two recent Super Bowls and find it fast if they’re going to have as brilliant a run this year as they’ve had in the past. As for the Detroit Lions, although blaming the game on a missed call may give them comfort, the fact is the team was 0-3 heading into this match-up. The sour start didn’t begin with bad luck against the Seahawks.

Detroit’s offensive options are limited and while not technically terrible, quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t exactly instilling confidence. Apparently, he’s failed to win an away game against any team that had a winning season the previous year. Ouch.

What did you think of the missed call in the Lions vs. Seahawks game? Can the Detroit Lions turn their season around? Share your thoughts below!

[Image Credit: Photo by Stephen Brashear / Getty Images]

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