Let’s go back in time to a previous meeting between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers…
It was October 14, 2019, as the Lions plunged into the deep darkness of the Bob Quinn/Matt Patricia era. At that time, there was still light at the end of the tunnel. The Lions opened the season 2-1-1, but were coming off a very promising loss to the rising sun that was Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Green Bay was 4-1 and in the class of the NFC North, but the Lions looked ready to challenge them.
And then came Monday night game in Green Baywith Clete Blakeman as referee. Blakeman’s team called not one but two completely wrong illegal hands to the face in a critical moment on Lions EDGE Trey Flowers, giving the Packers a very competitive game. Green Bay won 23-22 thanks to the penalty increase offered.
Patricia’s Lions would win one more game that year. The early promise of a hopeful start was shattered by terrible officiating. Clete Blakeman’s crew was the freight train arriving for all the world to see.
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Lions Wire and Detroit Lions Podcast interview with Dean Blandino on the Clete Blakeman controversy
So it’s no surprise that Lions fans are dismayed that Blakeman will call Sunday’s critical Week 9 game at Green Bay. Even though the official who threw the wrong flags at Flowers is no longer on his team, Blakeman’s spotty history of overturning his team’s calls at an astronomical rate above other officials doesn’t help. not to give the impression that he is easily influenced by bias.
Hoping for a cleanly refereed match without controversies. Insert cynically sarcastic remarks and eye-rolling emojis here…
This article was originally published on Lions Wire: Lions vs. Packers draws controversial officiating crew for Week 9
