DETROIT — Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur didn’t do a very good job trying to hide his satisfaction that a crucial call went the way of his team.
On a key fourth down deep in Detroit Lions territory in the second quarter of Thursday’s game at Ford Field, the Packers were lined up for what LaFleur said after the game was an attempt to draw the Lions offsides before burning a timeout and resetting for another try.
Instead, rookie O-lineman Anthony Belton moved before the snap and looked to be called for a false start. Except the referees ruled that LaFleur had called a timeout ahead of the penalty, the Packers were given another chance and scored a touchdown.
Before a crucial 4th-down, the #Packers had a false start, but the officials said Matt LaFleur called a timeout before the penalty...
It sure does not look like he did.
Green Bay then got a TD.pic.twitter.com/Q2dmMEc2dR
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 27, 2025
Since, the call has come under scrutiny as videos have shown LaFleur’s mouth was covered and he hadn’t gestured at the time the penalty was called. When asked about the moment postgame, LaFleur poked fun at the moment.
“Of course, they got it right,” LaFleur said winking. “Yeah, I was calling timeout...we call it a delay situation. Obviously, it was a timeout that we were going to use if they didn’t jump offsides, so we were going for it there regardless.”
In a pool report with head referee Ron Torbert, he reiterated the official’s stance that the timeout had been called before the penalty.
“We talked about it on the field. We recognized the timeout called, and that the timeout was called before the false start,” Torbert said.
Doubts about the timeout being used so intentionally were made a little more prescient given Belton’s movement, forecasting a play being run.
When asked why Belton would move with the Packers not planning to snap the ball, LaFleur said it was “a hell of a question right there. I think I might ask him the same thing.”
That wasn’t the only contentious moment between the teams as earlier in the second quarter Dontayvion Wicks caught a 22-yard touchdown pass on fourth down in the corner of the end zone.
There was a short discussion as to whether Wicks got both of his feet down with possession as he’s lifting his back foot off the turf while extending his arms to make the catch.
However, the judges said they didn’t have any discussion about Wicks apparently bobbling the ball as he was coming down with it.
“No. These receivers are that good, he controls the ball with his hand,” Torbert said. “But with his hands or arm above his body, while pulling it down, by rule, he can actually pull that ball into his body as he completes the process of a catch.”
Following the game, NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth added they saw control with Wicks’ right foot down and he got his second foot inside before going out of bounds.
A pair of calls don’t completely define a game the Lions trailed throughout, however it was a tough blow both times when Detroit seemingly had an argument for the calls to go the other way.