NFL upholds Seahawks' controversial victory over Packers

NEW YORK — The NFL put its stamp of approval on the still-smoldering outcome of the Green Bay-Seattle game:

Wrong call.

Right review.

Wrong team still wins.

Seahawks 14, Packers 12.

With frustration mounting among coaches, players and fans, the worst fear finally materialized: a mistake by a replacement official decided the outcome of a game.

It came while the NFL and its regular officials, locked out since June, were in resumed talks in an attempt to resolve the impasse.

That was still a day late for the Packers.

The fiasco, which unfolded on the prominent stage of "Monday Night Football," was deconstructed by the league Tuesday in a way that surely rendered little comfort for Cheeseheads.

The NFL said Seattle's last-second touchdown pass should not have counted because Seahawks receiver Golden Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference, ending the game with Green Bay winning.

Instead, officials ruled it a touchdown, and penalties either way are not reviewable.

That left it to whether Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings both had possession of the ball. The officials said they did, but the Packers insisted Jennings had clear possession for a game-ending interception. The NFL agreed that the replay was inconclusive, upholding the touchdown and giving Seattle the victory.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, normally a soft-spoken player who didn't say much after the loss, lashed out on his radio show Tuesday.

"First of all, I've got to do something that the NFL is not going to do: I have to apologize to the fans," he said on ESPN 540-AM in Milwaukee.

Even President Barack Obama got in on the conversation Tuesday, tweeting: "NFL fans on both sides of the aisle hope the refs' lockout is settled soon."

The controversy began on the final play when Russell Wilson heaved a 24-yard pass into a scrum in the end zone with Seattle trailing 12-7. Tate shoved away a defender with both hands, and he and Jennings got their hands on the ball.

"It was pinned to my chest the whole time," Jennings said.

Instead, the officials ruled on the field that the two had simultaneous possession, which counts as a reception.

"The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review," the league said in a statement.

On his weekly appearance on Seattle radio station 710 KIRO-AM, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made no apologies Tuesday, saying, "The league backed it up and game over. We win."

"Golden makes an extraordinary effort. It's a great protection. It's a great throw. It's a great attempt at the ball and he wins the battle," he said. "They were right on the point looking right at it, standing right over the thing and they reviewed it. Whether they missed the push or not — obviously they missed the push in the battle for the ball — but that stuff goes on all the time."

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contract expired. Unable to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, the league opened the season with replacements, most with experience only in lower levels of college football.

Coaches and players began griping about the officials in the preseason, but the tension seemed to boil over this past weekend.

Scuffles after the whistle were frequent with players appearing to test the limits of the new officials, and coaches were fined for berating them.

Las Vegas oddsmakers said $300 million or more changed hands worldwide on Monday's call. The Glantz-Culver line for the game opened favoring the Packers by 4?. Had the play been ruled an interception, Green Bay would have won by 5.

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Seahawks win in farcical finish

SEATTLE — In a bizarre ending that capped a brutal weekend for replacement officials, the Seattle Seahawks somehow beat the Green Bay Packers 14-12 on Monday night in a game that's certain to re-ignite frustrations over the locked-out refs.

Russell Wilson threw a disputed 24-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate on the final play of the game, a game that finally ended 10 minutes later when both teams were brought back on the field for the extra point.

Wilson scrambled from the pocket and threw to the corner of the end zone as the clock expired. Tate shoved Green Bay's Sam Shields out of the way, then wrestled with M.D. Jennings for possession.

It was ruled on the field as a touchdown and after a lengthy review, referee Wayne Elliott came out from under the hood and announced "the ruling on the field stands" and CenturyLink Field erupted in celebration.

It was nearly 10 minutes before the teams were brought back for the extra point.

The final decision is only going to fuel debate about the replacement officials coming off a weekend filled with disputed calls.

"Don't ask me a question about the officials," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "I've never seen anything like that in all my years in football.

"I know it's been a wild weekend in the NFL and I guess we're part of it now."

And the last game of the weekend will debated more than any other.

Seattle (2-1) won its second straight, while Green Bay (1-2)saw its streak of wins in six straight road openers snapped.

Wilson's heave came at the end of a final frantic drive after the Seahawks had previously missed on a fourth-down attempt from the Green Bay 7 with 2 minutes left.

The turnover on downs appeared to end Seattle's hopes and cap an impressive second-half comeback by the Packers and Aaron Rodgers, who was sacked eight times — all in the first half.

Green Bay averted disaster when John Kuhn fumbled on the Packers first play following the change of possession but center Jeff Saturday recovered. The Seahawks held and forced Green Bay to punt from the 4 with 57 seconds left. The 41-yard punt set Seattle up at the Green Bay 46 with 46 seconds remaining.

Wilson hit Sidney Rice for 22 yards on a slant then went for Tate in the end zone but the ball was batted away with 18 seconds left. He threw over the head of Evan Moore on second down leaving 12 seconds remaining and missed Tate again at the 5.

Wilson took the final snap with 8 seconds remaining. He appeared to be looking for Rice on the right side of the end zone, but rolled left and threw for Tate, who was in a crowd of three Packers defenders. His shove of Shields was obvious and it was never clear who had possession between Tate and Jennings.

Seattle instantly celebrated while the Packers argued with anyone in a striped shirt. Both teams were eventually shoved to the sidelines as Tate stomped through the end zone in celebration.

Following the review, Elliott's announcement sent the stadium into delirium and even more confusion ensued until the teams finally returned to the field for the extra point.

"From what I understood from the officials it was a simultaneous catch. Tie goes to the runner. Good call," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

Rodgers had quite a different opinion.

"It was awful. Just look at the replay. And then the fact that it was reviewed, it was awful," he said.

"That's all I'm going to say about it.""We shouldn't have been in that position.

It was Tate's second touchdown of the game after catching a 41-yard TD in the second quarter to give Seattle a 7-0 lead. He finished with three catches for 68 yards, while Wilson was 10 of 21 for 130 yards.

The Packers' frustration was almost instant. Guard T.J. Lang was even more emphatic, tweeting that the Packers were robbed "by the refs. Thanks, NFL."

Green Bay shook off a disastrous first half where Rodgers was sacked eight times and completely controlled possession in the final 30 minutes.

The Packers ran 41 offensive plays in the second half, got field goals of 29 and 40 yards from Mason Crosby and Cedric Benson's 1-yard TD run with 8:44 left to take a 12-7 lead.

Others spoke their mind by tweeting.

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman tweeted "These games are a joke," while NBA MVP LeBron James tweeted "I simply just LOVE the NFL (too) much to see these mistakes. I'm sick like I just played for the Packers"

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Seahawks cut tight end Winslow

RENTON, Washington — Kellen Winslow was acquired by the Seattle Seahawks in the hopes that, along with Zach Miller, the duo could become a formidable set of tight ends who could add another element to the offense.

Those plans drastically changed on Saturday when Winslow was released by the team, keeping true to the Seahawks' past form of tinkering with their roster even after all training camp cuts are made.

A team spokesman confirmed Winslow's release shortly after it was first reported by ESPN.com. Winslow was scheduled to make $3.3 million in base salary in 2012, following his trade from Tampa Bay to Seattle in May.

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