GREEN BAY — Since it was in a meaningless preseason game — and the Green Bay Packers still failed to generate much offense after it happened, anyway — the call didn't exactly make headlines. Not like, say, a touchdown/interception at the end of a nationally televised Monday Night Football game in Seattle about 11 months ago.
Nevertheless, Packers coach Mike McCarthy not-so-subtly made it clear Saturday that he thought running back James Starks did indeed cross the goal line on his fourth-and-goal carry from the 2-yard line during the Packers' 17-0 loss to the Arizona Cardinals Friday night.
Starks was ruled down short of the goal line on the play, which McCarthy challenged. Starks clearly puts the ball across the plane on the replay, but his knees are obscured by tight end Jermichael Finley, who is blocking on the play.
But referee Carl Cheffers, after watching the replay, upheld the call on the field and the Packers lost their challenge.
"The ball was over the goal line; Carl said he could not see (Starks') knee," McCarthy said Saturday. "(Starks') hip was three feet off the ground so, I mean, I couldn't see his knee either. You can figure that out. At least three feet off the ground."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers also was sure Starks scored on the play, saying Friday night: "I don't think my opinion really matters, but it sure looked like it on the replay. We've got that beautiful replay board up there, and it seemed that his knees may have been off the ground, and he for sure reached the ball across. But ... zero on the scoreboard."
Jason Wilde wrote: