SEATTLE - Two disputable third-down penalties on the Packers' defense in the second half played a pivotal role in Monday night's 10-point loss to the Seahawks.
In the fourth quarter, with Seattle facing 3rd-and-9 at the 50 and the Packers trailing 27-24, Matt Hasselbeck fired an incomplete pass over the middle. But defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins was flagged for roughing the passer for what the referee described as a blow to the back of Hasselbeck's head.
Replays clearly showed Jenkins pulling back his arm so that it only hit Hasselbeck high on his back and shoulders, but the Packers' protests were useless.
"I was trying (to hold back)," Jenkins said. "(The referee) told me when we hit the ground, my wrist hit the back of his head.
"It was third down, we were only down by 3. It was huge."
Instead of getting the ball back on a punt, the Packers watched Seattle take advantage of the automatic first down and eventually drive for the clinching score, a 3-yard TD pass to Jerramy Stevens with just over six minutes left to make it 34-24.
"It was a bad call," defensive tackle Ryan Pickett said. "He didn't even hit him. He pulled off. It was unfortunate. It was a bad call."
A questionable penalty earlier in the second half didn't help either.
Midway through the third quarter, the Seahawks trailed 21-12 and faced 3rd-and-12 from the Green Bay 29-yard line when Hasselbeck whistled a pass well behind receiver Nate Burleson streaking down the sideline. It appeared Seattle would have to settle for a long field goal attempt by Josh Brown.
But nickelback Patrick Dendy was called for illegal contact along the sideline despite the fact that Hasselbeck threw a pass for a route Burleson didn't run. The 5-yard penalty gave Seattle an automatic first down, and two plays later Hasselbeck hit D.J. Hackett for a 23-yard touchdown pass over Dendy to pull the Seahawks within 21-19.
In all, the Packers had 10 penalties for 61 yards compared to Seattle's four infractions for 25 yards.
Green breaks receiving record
With a 12-yard pass reception on the first play of the second half, running back Ahman Green set a new franchise record for receiving yards by a back. The catch gave him 2,520 as a Packer, surpassing previous record holder Gerry Ellis (2,514).
Green added four more catches for 27 additional yards in the game, pushing his receiving yardage total to 2,547.
Green's catches give him 327 in a Green Bay uniform, moving him past Paul Coffman (322) and into sole possession of the No. 8 spot on the franchise list.
{sportsad300}Big hits on the tight ends
The Packers made a handful of big hits in pass coverage that broke up potential completions by the Seahawks.
In the second quarter, a crunching blow by linebacker Brady Poppinga on tight end Itula Mili led to an incompletion and gave Mili a concussion. He did not return to the game.
On Seattle's first drive of third quarter, a pass deep down the middle to Stevens looked like a potential big gain. Stevens had the ball in his hands but safety Marquand Manuel drilled him, separating him from the ball and forcing the Seahawks to punt.
Manuel, a former Seahawk who signed with the Packers in the off-season, was playing his first game against his former team.
On another deep pass to Stevens in fourth quarter, he had the ball in his arms again but safety Nick Collins popped him from behind to knock ball out.
Stevens ultimately got his revenge, though, ending that drive with a 3-yard TD reception that put the game out of reach.
Jennings takes punt returns
Receiver Greg Jennings took over for cornerback Charles Woodson on punt returns Monday night.
Woodson has been banged up with various injuries throughout the season, and because of that he was replaced on punt returns earlier in the season by Shaun Bodiford. With Bodiford now out for the season, Jennings dropped back deep on punts and had one return for 10 yards.
Record low
The 34 degree temperature at kickoff was the lowest for a Seahawks' home game in the team's history. It was 41 degrees at kickoff time in Green Bay.
A combination of snow, sleet and/or hail was falling throughout the first half, forcing several grounds crew workers to shovel off the 5- and 10-yard markers during commercial breaks. Both teams struggled with footing somewhat but it was not a major factor.
The snow subsided as the second half began.
