In Green Bay, fans call it the Inaccurate Reception or the Fail Mary.
Packers fans blame the replacement referees for the ruling that gave the Seattle Seahawks a 14-12 victory that Monday night, Sept. 24.
A desperation pass from Russell Wilson on the final play seemed to be intercepted by Green Bay’s M.D. Jennings. But Seattle’s Golden Tate wrestled his way to what was ruled simultaneous possession and a winning touchdown.
Green Bay fans think the NFL settling with its regular referees the next week upholds their frustration with the ruling.
Now the Packers are putting disappointment behind them and becoming fans of the Seahawks.
“Without looking in the past, we have to root for a team we fell short to,” linebacker Clay Matthews said Thursday. “We’ll control our own destiny by winning these out and hopefully we can get some help along the way.”
San Francisco (10-3-1), see, is just ahead of Green Bay (10-4) for the NFC’s No. 2 seed. The 49ers play at Seattle on Sunday night.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers calls it having “a short memory, kind of rooting for the teams that you need to win.”
“There’s a lot of what-ifs,” Rodgers said. “Nothing we can do about it.”
No, but Seattle can.
“We want home field,” receiver James Jones said, “so hopefully they get it done.”
SNOW PACK
The Packers are looking for more help than the Seahawks can provide.
The team seeks as many as 600 people to start clearing snow from Lambeau Field today. The first big storm of the season is expected to dump up to a foot of snow before the Packers play host to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Shovelers must be at least 15 years old. The Packers will pay $10 per hour.
RG3 PRACTICES
Quarterback Robert Griffin III looks healthy.
The Washington rookie had a full practice for the second straight day as the team prepares for this week’s game against Philadelphia.
“I like what I see,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “If there is no setback, he should be ready to go.”
Griffin was held out last week against Cleveland after he suffered a sprained right knee against Baltimore.
COLTS’ PAGANO WELL
Doctors cleared Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano to go back to work. He is expected to return to the team complex as early as Monday.
“Medically, I see no reason he cannot come back when he’s ready to try and come back,” Dr. Larry Cripe said.
Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia in late September, when he began chemotherapy.
EXTRA POINTS
Titans running back Chris Johnson, who wrote the names of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims on his cleats before his franchise-record 94-yard TD run Monday night, has sent gifts to the family of 7-year-old Grace McDonnell after speaking with them by phone. … The Dolphins sent flowers in memory of Sandy Hook school psychologist Mary Sherlach, a fan who died in the rampage. … Philadelphia signed tight end Evan Moore, who was waived by Seattle this week.
NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
NFC
CLINCHED: Green Bay, NFC North; Atlanta, NFC South; San Francisco, playoff spot
ATLANTA (at Detroit)
Clinches first-round bye with:
• Win or tie, or
• Green Bay loss or tie, or
• San Francisco loss
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
• Win, or
• Tie AND San Francisco loss or tie, or
• Green Bay loss or tie AND San Francisco loss
SAN FRANCISCO (at Seattle)
Clinches NFC West with:
• Win or tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
• Win AND Green Bay loss or tie, or
• Tie AND Green Bay loss
SEATTLE (vs. San Francisco)
Clinches playoff spot with:
• win, or
• Tie AND N.Y. Giants loss AND Chicago loss or tie, or
• Tie AND N.Y. Giants loss AND Minnesota loss or tie, or
• Tie AND Chicago loss or tie AND Minnesota loss or tie, or
• Tie AND Dallas loss AND Washington loss AND Chicago loss or tie, or
• Tie AND Dallas loss AND Washington loss AND Minnesota loss or tie, or
• Chicago loss AND Minnesota loss AND Washington loss, or
• Chicago loss AND Minnesota loss AND Dallas loss or tie AND Washington tie
WASHINGTON (at Philadelphia)
Clinches a playoff spot with:
• Win AND N.Y. Giants loss AND Chicago loss AND Minnesota loss
NEW YORK GIANTS (at Baltimore)
Clinches playoff spot with:
• Win AND Chicago loss AND Minnesota loss AND Dallas loss AND Washington loss or tie, or
• Win AND Chicago loss AND Minnesota loss AND Washington loss AND Dallas tie
DALLAS (vs. New Oreleans), MINNESOTA (at Houston) and CHICAGO (at Arizona)
Can’t clinch playoffs this week
AFC
CLINCHED: New England, AFC East; Houston, AFC South; Denver, AFC West; Baltimore, playoff spot
HOUSTON (vs. Minnesota)
Clinches first-round bye with:
• Win or tie, or
• New England loss or tie, or
• Denver loss
Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
• Win, or
• Tie AND Denver loss or tie, or
• New England loss or tie AND Denver loss
DENVER (vs. Cleveland)
Clinches first-round bye with:
• Win AND New England loss or tie, or
• Tie AND New England loss
BALTIMORE (vs. N.Y. Giants)
Clinches AFC North with:
• Win, or
• Tie AND Cincinnati loss or tie
INDIANAPOLIS (at Kansas City)
Clinches playoff spot with:
• Win or tie, or
• Clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over Cincinnati, or
• Pittsburgh loss or tie
CINCINNATI (at Pittsburgh)
Clinches playoff spot with:
• Win
The Associated Press
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