Last season the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers played one of the most controversial games in recent memory, as the replacement referees made a call at the end of the game that gave Seattle the victory after Golden Tate appeared to make the winning touchdown catch.
The play came after Russell Wilson avoided some serious pressure to put the ball up in the end zone as a last second chance and when Tate leapt up to catch the ball, it appeared that the Packers also got their hands on it. While many felt it was an interception since Tate appeared to try and rip the ball out as the two came down, the referees decided to call it a touchdown after some initial confusion and the team won 14-12 and left the field.
The Packers left the field at first and did not return for the extra point, but eventually they did and while both teams made the playoffs, the play will be on the minds of fans as well as Tate when the two teams play in Green Bay this week on Friday at Lambeau Field. Tate said that he has no problems being booed at the stadium and he said that he feels it was a catch since the refs called it that way.
The fiasco ended up ending the use of replacement referees and luckily the game did not factor into the two teams making the playoffs. Tate made the catch over defensive back M.D. Jennings and while it appeared that both had the ball, the ref called it a touchdown. Initially it looked like Jennings had the ball first, but replays showed that both players had their hands on it at some point and while some still feel it was not a TD catch, that is what was ruled on the field.
Jennings said that he still thinks about the play and Tate said that he did not like all the negative comments after the game, but that he could handle it. The Seahawks took that game and ended up 11-5 on the season and made the playoffs and Tate finished a solid year with 45 catches for 688 yards and seven touchdowns, including that game-winner.
"I heard about that catch all offseason," Tate said. "That was a game-winning touchdown. I don't care what you think, if it was a catch or no catch. It is what it is. The referee called a touchdown. I did my job, point blank, end of story. It was a big play at a critical moment."
