After a clunker of a Monday night game and a needed bye week, the Green Bay Packers were in desperate need of a rebound. Jordan Love, in particular, had to bounce back after throwing three interceptions in one of the worst efforts of his career. Little did he know that officials in Denver would be very kind to help him try and ignite the Packers’ offense.
As Green Bay tried to capitalize on a late third-quarter red zone trip against the Denver Broncos, Love inexplicably lobbed up a weak ball to receiver Romeo Doubs at the near corner of the end zone.
When Doubs went up for the pass, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain simultaneously had the ball in his grasp mid-air. The play was ruled a Packers touchdown, but former NFL referee and now CBS officiating analyst Gene Steratore was in disbelief Green Bay got the conclusive touchdown.
Frankly, he probably has a point:
Gene Steratore says by Hell in a Cell rules this is an interception, two feet hit the floor for Surtain first pic.twitter.com/NJvHtgnzTn
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) October 22, 2023
IMO in #GBvsDEN, the DB fulfilled the process of the catch before the WR did. After the defender possessed the ball, both of his feet and then his knee were down in-bounds prior to the WR's.
This would make this play an interception.https://t.co/Jp8XuPZtdL
— Gene Steratore (@GeneSteratore) October 22, 2023
While, yes, Doubs more or less beat Surtain to the ball, he did not establish clear possession with both feet down, according to Steratore’s interpretation of the rule book. But that’s not how the referees at Mile High viewed it. On this occasion, they wanted to give the Packers a fateful “Prevail Mary.”
That curse, first borne in an infamous game with the Seattle Seahawks, is over.
This was how Twitter reacted
Advanced analytics tell us that Pat Surtain had 52% possession on that play whereas Romeo Doubs had 48%
Should have been a pick.
— Mile High Mario (@VetanzeTherapy) October 22, 2023
The way Doubs took this from Pat Surtain. #GBvsDEN https://t.co/5ySaBkAjuB
— Blaynos (@Blaynos14) October 22, 2023
This was supposed to be an INT since Surtain secured the ball and got both feet down first. It should have been challenged. #GBvsDEN https://t.co/sMSNCot8XW
— ure_too_close (@ure_too_close) October 22, 2023
Why does a "tie" go to the offensive player lmao https://t.co/poOyLY2LTJ
— Art Vandelay (@DreDay416_) October 22, 2023
Horrible throw https://t.co/QqHW9eqTC8
— Zachary Grier (@zgrier24) October 22, 2023
This is a garbage throw https://t.co/7dZLvook9d
— CSWC Andy (@CswcAndy) October 22, 2023
FAIL MARY 2.0 https://t.co/jXkx3yStsY
— SIDELINE REPORT (@SIDEL1NEREPORT) October 22, 2023
Simultaneous catch rule doesn't talk about completing the possession. This shouldn't be an opinion. If this were the case, there would never be any question on a simultaneous catch! pic.twitter.com/tRPbiGBl6e
— Charles (@itshurleytime) October 22, 2023
— Andy Steinbrenner (@ajsteinbrenner) October 22, 2023
