Packers vs. Bears Holding Call on Punt Return

Every time I see a missed call on the field, I get a little bit frustrated inside. When I saw one of the best executed trick punt returns called back by a phantom holding call, I was fuming. However, for as much heat as I dish out on the refs, I have to give them props. Yesterday in the Packers vs. Bears game, they got the call right.

For those that didn't see the play, it was a thing of beauty. Devin Hester set up and signaled for a fair catch on one side of the field. All eyes were on him, and the defenders crowded around him. Little did everyone know, Johnny Knox was setting up under the ball on the opposite side of the field, alone. Knox caught the ball and had an easy waltz into the endzone, having to dodge only the tackle of the punter.

However, a hold was called, and the play was coming back. Replay showed that Corey Graham was all alone at the moment the flag landed on the field, not a soul within 10 yards. Fans and announcers alike were perplexed on how he could be called for holding. Watch the video below to see the play:

Where is the hold? Well it actually happened earlier in the play. Watch the video at the very beginning on the left side of the screen, right before the camera angle switches. It turns out Graham was beat so badly that he reached out and attempted to grab the collar of Jarrett Bush. Even the referee with 2 glass eyes could have seen that one from a mile away. How silly because even if Graham had let Bush run free, Bush would have ran straight to Hester and not Knox.

So the refs did a good job, and got the call right. They deserve credit now, until I rip into them again next week. The only real disappointment here is Gorey Graham, who robbed us from seeing one of the greatest tricks of all time with a dumb holding penalty.