Detroit Lions CB Carlton Davis III: “I felt like (referees) were just on the Seahawks side”

After Geno Smith's 2-point conversion pass to Jake Bobo fell incomplete in the corner of the end zone, Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III went straight to field judge Sean Petty and asked him a question.

“I look at the referee and say, 'Do you want to call a private investigator now?'” Davis said. “(He said), 'No, you're good.' All right, whatever.”

Davis was frustrated after officiating the Lions' 42-29 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field on Monday.

The Lions, who improved to 3-1 with the win before this week's bye, were penalized 12 times for 101 yards, and Davis and fellow cornerback Terrion Arnold drew seven of those penalties.

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Officials cited Davis three times for pass interference, including once for the failed 2-point attempt on the play before Geno Smith brought down Bobo in the end zone and once for defensive holding. Arnold, a freshman who entered Monday's game with a team-high five penalties, was cited twice for holding and once for defensive pass interference.

“I lost it, I did,” Davis said. “But it was legitimately so I didn’t want to do it – I just can’t control it. It's an emotional game and there's a lot at stake. They push down the field and these PIs keep them in the game. It extends it.” That’s where the passion comes from. So, come on, let's play along, and if they can't open, then that's what I mean.

Davis spent most of Monday's game with Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf, one of the NFL's most physical pass catchers at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds.

Metcalf caught seven passes for 104 yards on Monday – and drew all three pass interference penalties against Davis. He was thrown out of bounds on a 2-point play after Kenneth Walker III's touchdown with 3:03 left in the third quarter that would have cut the Lions' lead to 28-22.

Davis, who finished with seven tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery, was cited for pass interference on the play, and one play after the Seahawks failed on their next attempt by Bobo from the 1-yard line Jared Goff threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams, giving the Lions the lead again.

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“Twelve is a lot (of penalties),” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Look, I have to watch the tape, but I can tell you that Carlton fights in almost every one of them that I've seen. He has a good receiver and this guy is a physical receiver and we had to be physical. and Carlton was physically active. And I'm not discouraged about that.

Davis said he didn't look closely enough at Arnold's punishments to form an opinion about the legitimacy of those calls.

“But the flags were everywhere,” he said.

When asked which of his punishments he particularly resented, Davis replied “every single one.”

“I don't want to get fined because they're touchy about this, but honestly bro, I can't say what I want to say, but honestly I feel like they're just siding with the Seahawks today “” he said. “I don't know what I did. Maybe I should invite them to dinner or something, I don't know. Follow them on Instagram, I don't know. But today wasn't my day. You just called private investigators.” like I don't even grab it. It's not even like, “Oh my God.” It was like touch-touch-bang-bang stuff, that's football, that's a fight a physical receiver, so that's what's going to happen when you get a physical (corner) and a physical receiver that you have to let us play ball.”

Campbell said the Lions have “things we need to clean up from a penalty standpoint,” but he has no intention of asking his cornerbacks to limit their physical play.

That's fine with Davis, who also has no intention of limiting his physicality.

“I mean, that’s just me, bro,” he said. “I can’t change that (expletive). I mean, even if I wanted to, but what the (expletive)? I won't do that. I'll play my game, keep playing and it is what it is.

Dave Birkett will be signing copies of his new book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline,” at the Pro Sports Zone at Laurel Park Place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Order it now from Reedy Press.

Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions CB Carlton Davis III won't change physical game