Officials miss offside by Packers, leading to Justin Fields interception
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With 1:23 left in the first quarter of Sunday’s Bears-Packers game, Chicago rookie quarterback Justin Fields threw a deep interception to Green Bay safety Darnell Savage.
That’s what the record shows, but that’s not what should have happened. Before the snap, two Green Bay defensive linemen — defensive tackle Kenny Clark and end Kingsley Keke — moved, which should have given Fields a free play. Instead, no foul was called, and the interception stood.
Per the NFL Rulebook, “A player is offside when any part of his body is in or beyond the neutral zone or beyond a restraining line when the ball is put in play.”
Well, both Clark and Keke would qualify on this play.
Justin Fields thought he had a free-play here, wasn't called, ended up throwing a deep ball to no one but got picked. pic.twitter.com/Gu9j664SW8
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 17, 2021
Here is a very obvious view, which somebody on referee Brad Rogers’ crew should have spotted.
Per NFLPenalties.com, Rodgers’ crew came into Week 6 with the most offside calls with seven (five accepted, two dismissed), which makes this blown call that much more curious.
