What’s a Monday after a Packers loss without a bunch of headlines blaming the refs? It’s a tradition unlike any other. So grab your cup o’ Joe and enjoy the latest round of finger-pointing after Green Bay’s 20-17 loss to Detroit.
“I would rather get fined and try to help my team out because I see what’s going on, and it’s killing us,” Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “We all see it. We all see what’s going on. Everyone sees what’s going on; the fans see what’s going on; we see what’s going on when we’re out there.”
That’s one helluva conspiracy theory. It’s one thing to be upset about some calls, but to suggest that it’s an ongoing thing in which the Packers are being treated unfairly is a wild accusation. Especially when Green Bay went 1-for-3 in the red zone and rookie kicker Trey Smack missed field goals from 26 and 35 yards, respectively. The 35-yarder, which was partially blocked, would’ve given the Packers a 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter.
Related: Did the Packers get hosed? Examining critical calls in Vikings’ wild comeback
However, McKinney and the Packers might have a point about a couple of penalties.
In the third quarter, Jared Goff completed a pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown for what appeared to be a 4-yard gain, but St. Brown got up after he was clearly down — his forearm hit the ground, which is down by contact as he was touched by a defender — and started to run again. When a Packers player tackled him for a second time, the refs threw a flag for unnecessary roughness. Nobody heard a whistle.
They Called Unnecessary Roughness On The Packers Even Though Amon-Ra Was Still Up And They Kept Playing.
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 25, 2026
The Ref Got Hit, So He Threw A Flag. The Officials Are Always Trying To Be A Part Of The Game.
It’s Ridiculous. 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/VnnzoyipNe