Everybody and their mom knew the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers was going to get hairy. Everybody knew that! So why in the world did the officials just go about their business like everything was dandy heading into the contest? No one knows, but these zebras disguised as replacement refs altered the outcome of the game and you can bet they’re going to hear about it.
Clay Matthews decided to run his mouth last week and then laid a dirty hit on Colin Kaepernick in the second quarter on a critical third-down play. After the ensuing scuffle, the refs were so unprepared they gave the 49ers a replay of third down after off-setting penalties. The result? A touchdown on the next play instead of a field goal.
That’s the difference in four points and the two teams entered halftime tied when it should have been 14-10 in favor of the Packers. The Niners ended up winning by six, but that play definitely changed things. And again, why weren’t the referees prepared to stop something like this from happening or at least make sure everything was square after it was over? Players like Matthews need to be taught they can’t dictate a game with their words to the media. Get it together, NFL.
Related:
49ers-Packers Have One of NFL’s Best Rivalries
