Coming into Sunday night’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers, there was some concern that Shawn Hochuli’s crew was set to oversee the big-time game on the North Shore.
After struggling with penalties in Week 7 and wanting to play cleaner football, the Steelers knew they were in for one with Hochuli’s crew, which came into Sunday night having thrown the fourth-most flags through the first seven weeks of the season.
Then, in the blink of an eye in the third quarter, Hochuli’s crew decided not to throw flags for clear penalties, and it led to the game changing quickly.
Facing a 3rd and 8, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense seemed to draw a pair of Packers defenders offsides before an incomplete deep shot to Roman Wilson. Rodgers operated as if he had a free play, but Hochuli’s crew missed it entirely. Even after a conference from the crew, it still couldn’t get the call right.
That led to the Steelers punting the football as the offense was irate with the missed call.
Three plays later, Hochuli’s crew missed another call. This time it came on a broken play from Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who threw up a prayer to tight end Tucker Kraft while being hit by Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen on a blitz. It was a duck floating in the air, and Kraft had a clear two-handed push-off on Steelers safety DeShon Elliott, which led to a 59-yard catch-and-run.
At the end of the play, Elliott went down with what looks like a serious injury, too, and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.
It should have been a penalty on the Packers, forcing a third and long. Instead, it helped spark the Packers’ scoring drive that trimmed the Steelers’ lead to 16-14 in the third quarter.
Then, to make matters worse — at least for the moment — Hochuli’s crew missed a clear shovel pass from Rodgers at the feet running back Jaylen Warren, instead ruling it a fumble and a Packers recovery.
Fortunately, Hochuli’s crew got some help from the expedited review above and overturned the fumble call, allowing the Steelers to keep driving. Chris Boswell ultimately kicked a field goal that gave the Steelers a 19-14 lead.
It’s hard enough trying to win games in the NFL when playing a talented opponent like the Packers. It’s even harder to try and win in matchups like this when the officiating crew is struggling with making the correct calls.
