Ref show: Packers fuming after controversial calls hand Lions huge divisional win

The Green Bay Packers already knew they were going to have their hands full against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. Not only was Matt LaFleur's team heading into one of the most hostile environments in the NFL to take on a team that had won its last 10 games in a row, but they were doing so while down key starters in cornerback Jaire Alexander, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and receiver Romeo Doubs. Unfortunately for Green Bay, the referees at Ford Field decided that all of that wasn't adversity enough.

The ref show started early in Detroit, when Lions pass rusher (and former Packer) Za'Darius Smith got away with a clear roughing the passer penalty on Jordan Love that would have extended a Packers drive in the first half. But things got downright egregious late, as several calls all broke against Green Bay to help hand Detroit a key NFC North win — and leave LaFleur and Packers fans everywhere irate.

Several controversial calls go against Packers in fourth quarter of loss to Lions

With under five minutes remaining in the game, the Packers appeared to score what would have been the go-ahead touchdown on a Love pass to Josh Jacobs in the right flat. But the play was wiped away when Christian Watson was flagged for offensive pass interference that seemed ... questionable to say the least.

Obviously there's plenty of contact there, but Watson doesn't appear to go out of his way to make contact with the defensive back, nor does he throw a block or do anything out of the ordinary for a receiver running a route. You could certainly make the argument that the touchdown should've been allowed, but hey; there's a lot of contact, and maybe the refs are just calling a relatively tight game. The Packers were forced to settle for a field goal instead, tying the game at 31 rather than taking a four-point lead.

And then, on the very next possession, it sure seemed like Lions tight end Sam LaPorta actively threw a block on Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, only for the refs to suddenly decide they were going to let the players play.

Somehow, that wasn't even the most controversial call on Detroit's final drive. Green Bay had the Lions in a 2nd and 17 on the fringes of field goal range when Amon-Ra St. Brown appeared to push off defensive back Keisean Nixon on what wound up being a 16-yard gain.

From there, Dan Campbell would make a gutsy fourth-down call, and the Packers wouldn't see the ball again as Jake Bates kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired. There are a lot of calls in a football game, and rarely are they the sole reason a team wins or loses. Green Bay's defense left a lot to be desired in this game, and failed to get stops when they needed them. But with the team's hopes of an NFC North title dashed by this loss, it'll be hard not to look back and wonder what would've happened had just a couple of calls gone their way.