The second quarter of Monday night’s matchup between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants ended in controversy and criticism after officials seemingly botched a critical call.
With only 13 seconds remaining in the first half, a Packers kickoff appeared to clearly deflect off a Giants player before going out of bounds. However, officials incredibly missed the deflection and incorrectly flagged the play, granting the Giants possession at their own 40-yard line.
Legendary broadcaster and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, calling the game on TV, immediately slammed the call and the officiating crew’s lengthy review process.
“This is ridiculous what we’re watching right now,” Aikman vented, clearly exasperated. “We see something it takes five seconds. It takes them five minutes.”
Aikman continued his harsh criticism, blasting the continuous delays and drawn-out reviews that are slowing down and interrupting NFL games this season.
“Just make the call,” he implored. There’s 13 seconds in the half…just make a decision. This is what stops all these games. And the officials, I know, they have been talked about every week but this is ridiculous, what we’re watching right now.”
After yet another lengthy officiating delay, the crew eventually corrected themselves and awarded Green Bay the ball. But for many, including Aikman, the damage had already been done to the pace and integrity of the contest.
The botched sequence punctuated a sloppy and controversial night for the officials in a key game between two playoff hopefuls jockeying for postseason position. It underscored mounting frustration across the league regarding inconsistent officiating and excessive review delays that have disrupted the flow of too many games in 2022
