NFL WEEK 7 · LIONS VS. PACKERS · OCTOBER 25, 2026
NFL Fans Furious With Calls In Lions Packers
NFL fans had plenty to say about the officiating in Sunday's Lions-Packers game.
Detroit beat Green Bay 20-17 at Ford Field, but a series of disputed calls against the Packers became a major talking point during the NFC North matchup. Green Bay finished with eight penalties for 81 yards, compared with five for 50 yards for Detroit. Official game center
The frustration was clear on social media. JPA posted, “The refs in this game have been AWFUL,” then repeated “AWFUL” twice more.
Unnecessary roughness after a chaotic tackle
One of the strangest sequences involved Amon-Ra St. Brown, Devonte Wyatt and an official who ended up on the ground.
On a play that began with 7:46 left in the third quarter, St. Brown tried to get up and continue running. Wyatt took him down again, and St. Brown's cleat appeared to catch the official in the stomach. Wyatt was assessed unnecessary roughness, giving Detroit a first down at Green Bay's 11. Two plays later, Jared Goff found Jameson Williams for a touchdown. USA TODAY
Fans questioned why Wyatt was penalized when St. Brown appeared to be continuing the play. The important distinction: the flag was for Wyatt's unnecessary roughness, not a ruling that a Packers player had kicked the official.
FOX shared Matt LaFleur's animated reaction with the caption, “Matt LaFleur had some words for the refs.”
Roughing-the-passer calls add to the frustration
With 4:09 left in the third quarter, Brenton Cox Jr. was flagged after a third-and-10 incompletion. Green Bay's official account of the game described Cox as being blocked into Goff. The penalty kept Detroit's possession alive.
Brandon Cisse then had an interception erased by pass interference with 1:57 left in the quarter. The Lions nevertheless came away without points on that drive, turning the ball over on downs. Packers recap
That distinction matters. The flags extended the possession, but they did not automatically hand Detroit a score.
Karl Brooks drew a 15-yard roughing flag at 2:45 in the fourth, adding to LaPorta’s 18-yard catch on Detroit’s winning drive. Play-by-play
The NFL's rule distinguishes late or forceful hits from incidental contact when a defender is easing up or being blocked into the passer. It also requires defenders to avoid landing with all or most of their weight on the quarterback. Those distinctions are why the actual contact, not simply Goff going down, matters. 2026 NFL rulebook, Rule 12-2-11
Micah Parsons Goes Off On Refs
In a screenshot of an October 25 post from his account, Micah Parsons called out the NFL and @NFLOfficiating over roughing-the-passer calls:
“@NFL @NFLOfficiating let’s just go to flag football if everytime a qb gets touched it’s roughing the passer!”
The post does not identify a particular play.
Jordan Love's grounding penalty also draws questions
Love was called for intentional grounding on the opening play of the fourth quarter. The 11-yard penalty left Green Bay facing second-and-21 from its own 8. Brian Branch intercepted Love two plays later. Play-by-play
SM Highlights was among the accounts questioning the throw and the ruling.
Under the NFL rule, pressure on the quarterback and whether the pass travels toward and near an eligible receiver are central to the decision. An incomplete pass alone is not enough. 2026 NFL rulebook, Rule 8-2-1
Detroit got the win. But the calls gave fans several specific plays to question, rather than just one controversial moment.