Determining whether officiating decisions tilted the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving matchup toward the Green Bay Packers is nearly impossible. Still, two moments in particular continue to frustrate Detroit fans: a touchdown that survived review, and a false-start penalty that vanished after a conveniently timed timeout from head coach Matt LaFleur. Those two rulings directly contributed to 14 Green Bay points, and considering the Packers won by a single possession, they’ve become painful talking points.

LaFleur, though, isn’t losing sleep over any of it. His team walked away with a vital divisional win that keeps them firmly in the NFC North race—and effectively pushes the Lions out of serious contention. When asked about the questionable calls afterward, LaFleur’s response was anything but modest.

Lions Fans Left Furious Over LaFleur’s Dismissive Reaction to Missed False Start

Every replay angle shows why Detroit supporters are livid. Packers rookie lineman Anthony Belton clearly moved early on a crucial red-zone snap. That should’ve pushed Green Bay backward and forced them into a tougher scoring situation. Instead, officials wiped the penalty off the board, ruling that LaFleur had called a timeout.

The issue? The timeout came after Belton jumped. It looked suspiciously like LaFleur tried to bail his team out of a costly mistake at a pivotal moment. Rather than backing up the Packers, the refs granted the timeout—and on the next play, Jordan Love delivered another touchdown strike, deepening the hole for Detroit’s already struggling defense.

LaFleur Enjoys the Spotlight, But Lions Were Hurt by a Major Officiating Miss

To be fair, LaFleur had every reason to celebrate. His team walked into Ford Field, took control, secured the win, and even joined Erin Andrews and the FOX crew for a postgame Thanksgiving-style feast at midfield. But he also benefited from a massive officiating break—one that might have kept Detroit competitive and preserved their chances in the division race.

For such a high-stakes game, it’s disappointing that the officiating crew wasn’t up to the moment. The Lions needed a fair shake, and instead, they were left feeling the sting of a crucial missed call.