Charles Davis believed that Kenny Pickett’s contentious non-lateral play had the Packers screwed.

There have undoubtedly been better years for a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. These are two of the NFL’s most storied franchises, and the 2023 Steelers are (kind of?) good, while the three-win Packers are enjoying one of their worst seasons in decades.

Nevertheless, that did not make this close battle in Pittsburgh immune to controversy.

Late in the second quarter, Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett threw a dump-off pass to running back Jaylen Warren. It seemed pretty clear that Pickett’s pass went backward, making it a fumble when Warren dropped it, allowing the Packers to run it back the other way for a touchdown. Except that’s not how the officials saw it, calling the play incomplete. Never mind that they blew the play dead while Warren literally rolled around with the ball.

When the Packers unsuccessfully challenged the sequence, CBS announcer Charles Davis said he “vehemently” disagreed, insinuating he believed Green Bay got screwed:

I understand that many NFL rules seem Byzantine by design, but that looks like a pretty clear lateral to me. Rules analyst Gene Steratore offering up a weak defense of the officials’ call (“I just felt like it was a tough one” … really?) should be all the confirmation we need.

Of course, while football isn’t played in a vacuum, this call did end up costing the Packers dearly. They would lose 23-19 in heartbreaking fashion.