GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks speaks to Kam Chancellor #31 in the second half against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
As good as the Seattle Seahawks' defense was Monday night, it took a jab and a bat to deliver a knockout blow to the Detroit Lions.
Seahawks safely Kam Chancellor made a game-saving play with under two minutes to play by punching the ball loose from Calvin Johnson just before the Detroit receiver lunged over the goal line.
As the ball bounced toward the back of the end zone, Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright ensured their would be no recovery by the Lions by batting the ball out of the back of the end zone. End of story, right? Nope, more like the beginning of a furor.
Shortly after the game, it came to light that Wright's bat constituted a penalty, which should have resulted in the Lions being awarded the ball inside the 1-yard line with 1:45 to play.
NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino told the NFL Network that Detroit should have retained possession because it is a foul to "bat the ball in any direction in end zone." However, because batting the ball is a judgment call, it is not reviewable.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after the game that Wright was trying to knock the ball out of the end zone and admitted: "We were fortunate."
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