The Green Bay Packers walked away with a 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys, but man, one moment in that fourth quarter just has everyone scratching their heads. You know the play I’m talking about: the roughing the passer penalty on Packers edge rusher Lukas Van Ness that completely negated what should have been a huge interception. Wild stuff, right?
That Pick That Never Was
It all went down in the fourth quarter, with the Packers holding a solid 23-7 lead. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tried to hit wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, but Carrington Valentine stepped right in front and snagged it. Pure beauty, right? A textbook pick. But before the celebrating could even start, a flag flew. Van Ness got popped for a late hit on Prescott. Just like that, the interception, the momentum, all gone.
Was It Even A Hit?
Replays showed Van Ness pushing Prescott with two hands after the ball was released. Now, it did knock the Cowboys QB off his feet, but calling it a “forceful” push? Nah, not really. It honestly didn’t look like much, and you could feel the collective groan from everyone watching. Fans on X were absolutely baffled by the call, and honestly, who could blame them? Even Packers head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged his team needs to clean up the penalties and keep emotions in check; they racked up 11 in that game, with four coming on that single defensive drive in the fourth quarter. It’s tough to swallow, especially when one takes away a crucial turnover.
The Cowboys kept that drive alive because of the call, but thankfully, the Packers defense held strong and ended it on downs, preserving their two-score lead. Still, that penalty is the one everyone’s replaying. It wasn’t just a penalty; it was a head-scratcher that has everyone asking what even *is* roughing the passer anymore?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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