# Packers’ Roughing-the-Passer Calls Draw Scrutiny After Lions’ 20-17 Win

Two Green Bay penalties on Jared Goff, including one late in Detroit’s game-winning drive, prompted criticism from Packers players and debate about the calls. The Lions won 20-17 on Oct. 25.

By The Signal Edition | Sports / NFL
Published: 2026-10-26T14:09:21Z
Updated: 2026-10-26T14:09:21Z
Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/packers-roughing-penalties-lions-mj8uac
Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/b2c60b4df6933c613d3479d96aded06b.jpg (Jared Goff drops back to pass against Green Bay during a Packers-Lions game at Ford Field; credit: Source: Detroit Lions / NFL.com)

## Summary
- Detroit beat Green Bay 20-17 on Jake Bates’ 22-yard field goal as time expired on Oct. 25.
- Packers linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. was penalized for roughing Jared Goff in the third quarter; defensive tackle Karl Brooks drew another flag late in the fourth.
- The second penalty added 15 yards during Detroit’s final scoring drive, but Green Bay also missed a field goal and committed other costly mistakes.
- Packers safety Xavier McKinney criticized the officiating; head coach Matt LaFleur said the team needed to play above difficult calls.

## Two calls became a postgame flashpoint

The Green Bay Packers’ 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Oct. 25, left two roughing-the-passer penalties at the center of postgame debate. Both flags came on plays involving Lions quarterback Jared Goff, and the second arrived during Detroit’s final drive before Jake Bates kicked the winning field goal as time expired. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/lions-snap-packers-winning-streak-with-walk-off-field-goal--flm-2026-10-25/) [2](https://www.packers.com/game-day/2026/reg-week7/packers-at-lions/) [3](https://www.packers.com/news/game-recap-5-takeaways-from-packers-loss-to-lions-week-7-2026)

In the third quarter, Green Bay linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. was flagged after contact with Goff on an incomplete pass. The Packers’ account said Cox appeared to be blocked into the quarterback. Cox said he was trying to pull up, but his hands struck Goff’s abdomen and knocked him off balance. Those details describe the player’s explanation and the team’s view; they do not establish that the call was incorrect. [3](https://www.packers.com/news/game-recap-5-takeaways-from-packers-loss-to-lions-week-7-2026)

## Late flag extended Detroit’s final possession

The later penalty came with 2:45 remaining, after Goff completed an 18-yard pass to tight end Sam LaPorta. The official play-by-play lists Brooks for roughing the passer and records a 15-yard enforcement. Detroit then moved closer to field-goal range, and Gibbs added a 15-yard run before the Lions finished the drive with Bates’ 22-yard kick. [2](https://www.packers.com/game-day/2026/reg-week7/packers-at-lions/) [4](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50284205/packers-rip-officiating-roughing-penalties-prove-costly-loss) [5](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/recap/NFL_20261025_GB@DET/)

Packers coverage said Fox commentators questioned the Brooks call. ESPN reported that McKinney, Green Bay’s safety, described the officiating as poor and said penalties had hurt the defense’s momentum. LaFleur took a more measured position afterward, saying Green Bay had to play above difficult calls. [3](https://www.packers.com/news/game-recap-5-takeaways-from-packers-loss-to-lions-week-7-2026) [4](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50284205/packers-rip-officiating-roughing-penalties-prove-costly-loss)

## The result had more than one turning point

The flags were consequential in the game’s closing sequence, but they were not the only missed opportunities. Reuters reported that Green Bay’s Trey Smack missed a 26-yard field-goal attempt in the opening quarter and had a 35-yard try blocked with 3:21 left. The Packers’ official postgame analysis also pointed to red-zone failures and the decision to go for it on fourth-and-4 from Detroit’s 7-yard line. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/lions-snap-packers-winning-streak-with-walk-off-field-goal--flm-2026-10-25/) [6](https://www.packers.com/news/rapid-reaction-red-zone-not-yellow-flags-lost-game-for-packers-week-7-2026)

Detroit’s win snapped Green Bay’s three-game winning streak and left the Packers 4-3 while the Lions improved to 4-2, according to the game report and final team statistics. The available reporting confirms the penalties, reactions and sequence of events; it does not show an official league review overturning either call. The broader debate over roughing-the-passer enforcement remains separate from the final score. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/lions-snap-packers-winning-streak-with-walk-off-field-goal--flm-2026-10-25/) [2](https://www.packers.com/game-day/2026/reg-week7/packers-at-lions/) [4](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50284205/packers-rip-officiating-roughing-penalties-prove-costly-loss)

## Reporting sources
1. [Reuters: Lions snap Packers’ winning streak with Jake Bates’ walk-off field goal](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/lions-snap-packers-winning-streak-with-walk-off-field-goal--flm-2026-10-25/) (2026-10-25)
2. [Green Bay Packers: Packers at Lions Game Center](https://www.packers.com/game-day/2026/reg-week7/packers-at-lions/) (2026-10-25)
3. [Green Bay Packers: Game recap: 5 takeaways from Packers’ loss to Lions](https://www.packers.com/news/game-recap-5-takeaways-from-packers-loss-to-lions-week-7-2026) (2026-10-25)
4. [ESPN: Packers rip officiating after roughing penalties prove costly in loss](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50284205/packers-rip-officiating-roughing-penalties-prove-costly-loss) (2026-10-25)
5. [CBS Sports: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions: GameTracker recap](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/recap/NFL_20261025_GB@DET/) (2026-10-25)
6. [Green Bay Packers: Rapid reaction: Red zone, not yellow flags, lost game for Packers](https://www.packers.com/news/rapid-reaction-red-zone-not-yellow-flags-lost-game-for-packers-week-7-2026) (2026-10-25)