Wide receiver Golden Tate #81 of the Seattle Seahawks makes a catch in the end zone to defeat the Green Bay Packers on a controversial call by the officials at CenturyLink Field on September 24, 2012 in Seattle, Washington.
Though the NFL ultimately stood behind the call Tuesday, the league’s replacement referees took their fair share of heat on Twitter after the game-ending call, giving a touchdown to Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate Monday night in Seattle. Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings both leapt for the catch, landing in the end zone grappling for the ball. It would’ve been a tricky play for any ref to call — instant replays appeared to show that Jennings had possession of the ball — let alone a group of officials grappling with authority and image problems, as the NFL’s replacement refs have dealt with. Even still, the ruling was a head-scratcher. Of the two officials who converged on the ball, one referee signaled an interception while the other called a touchdown. And despite the evidence from the videotape, after review the touchdown stood. But that didn’t stop fans, players and commentators alike from airing their views — some rather scathingly. Warning: Some tweets contain profane language.