Matt LaFleur knows he got away with one.
It was fourth-and-1 from the Lions’ 2-yard line late in the second quarter when it looked like the Packers were about to be called for a false start. The referee on the Packers’ sideline, though, ruled that LaFleur had called timeout before the illegal movement.
Upon further review, it didn’t look close and that the Packers should have been penalized.
“Of course they got it right,” LeFleur said before a not-so-subtle wink. “I was calling timeout.”
Suffice to say, the Lions – and the crowd at Ford Field – were not happy that the referees had essentially bailed out Green Bay. The Packers kept their offense on the field, facing the same fourth-and-1 situation instead of fourth-and-6.
On the following play, quarterback Jordan Love connected with wide receiver Romeo Doubs for a two-yard touchdown.
The play, ultimately, was the difference as Green Bay controlled the clock in the second half and its defense held firm. The Packers won 31-24 with a touchdown separating the Packers from the Lions.
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell knew the importance of the call, too, as he reacted in disbelief.
As the NFL season winds down, both teams can look back at that moment as a deciding point. The Packers (8-3-1) are now only one-half game behind the first-place Chicago Bears (8-3) in the NFC North with Chicago playing on Black Friday against the Eagles. The loss keeps the Lions out of an NFC playoff spot and moves them further away from the division lead.
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