Fitzgerald Cecilio

Wide receiver Golden Tate caught a 24-yard "Hail Mary" touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to lift the Seattle Seahawks to a controversial 14-12 victory over the Green Bay Packers

"I gave him (Tate) a shot, and he came down with it," said Wilson, who completed 10 of 19 passes for 130 yards and two touchdown heaves to Tate, who finished with 68 yards on three catches.

The Packers challenged the call, claiming that safety M.D. Jennings and Tate both got their arms on the ball but replacement referees stood by their earlier call on the field that it was a touchdown.

"It was pinned to my chest the whole time we were on the pile," Jennings said. "Yeah, I feel like I had the ball."

"They're human," Jennings said of the replacement officials. "They make mistakes and we have to live with it."

Packers veteran cornerback Charles Woodson said the game's controversial finish should spur the NFL to settle a labor dispute with regular officials. "It will have a lot to do with it, I think," Woodson said. "We'll see where it goes from here."

The controversial decision gave the Seahawks their second straight upset win after beating the Dallas Cowboys, 27-7, last Sunday.

The win also extended the Seahawks' winning streak on "Monday Night Football" to six in a row, and increased their already league-best winning percentage on MNF to .692 (18-8).

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished 26-for-39 for 223 yards but no touchdown. He was sacked eight times -- including an NFL record four by Chris Clemons -- in the first half -- that resulted to a 39-yard loss.

The Seahawks took a 7-0 lead on Wilson's 41-yard TD pass to Tate in the first quarter but the Packers put together three scoring drives that resulted to two field goals and a touchdown run by Cedric Benson to grab a 12-7 lead.

Wilson then led the Seahawks on a six-play, 46-yard final drive capped by Tate's touchdown catch.

Exclusive angle of video of the hail mary play at the end of the Packers / Seahawks game

 

Golden Tate's Controversial Hail Mary Catch Lifts Seattle Seahawks Over Green Bay Packers - NFL 2012 Week 3