Packers robbed on controversial roughing the passer call (Video)

The Green Bay Packers had an interception wiped off the board because of a very questionable roughing the passer call against Za’Darius Smith.

It wouldn’t be Week 1 in the NFL without some controversial decisions by referees.

On Sunday, the Packers had a potentially game-changing play taken off the board because of a roughing the passer call that merits some discussion.

Reds screwed the Packers with this roughing the passer call

If that’s roughing the passer, then pass rushers should just stop hitting quarterbacks outright. It’s unreasonable to expect a guy bearing down on the QB to back off in that short among of time.

The flag reversed an interception that might have given Green Bay life in the 24-3 game. Instead, Jameis Winston lived to fight another down and threw a touchdown to cap the drive and give the Saints an even-more commanding 31-3 lead.

Packers fans can be comforted somewhat knowing their offense was anemic for the entire outing. Even if they had gotten the ball, the likelihood of going down the field and scoring to pull within two touchdowns was slim. It didn’t look like it was in the cards.

That doesn’t change frustration over a bad call. It might not have been likely for the Packers to come back, but any slim hopes of them pulling it off were crushed in that moment. Momentum is a strange thing in the NFL and that could have been the play that flip the script. It would have been better for everyone to have the game play out without officials getting in the way.