Following lengthy conversations amongst the NFL and officials from the Oakland and Green Bay, the Packers and Raiders played on a shortened field on Thursday night during a preseason game in Winnipeg.
The field was shortened to 80 yards because team officials became concerned about patches of turf that were used to cover the holes where the goalposts for 110-yard CFL games had been, as those spots were in the middle of what would have been NFL end zones, according to The Associated Press.
NFL, #Packers and game officials check out the “hole” in the end zone before #Raiders game. pic.twitter.com/N8JBhBAYx2
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) August 22, 2019
To make sure the game could go on, the teams agreed to play on a reconfigured field. In addition to shortening the field to 80 yards, end zones were marked by bright orange pylons at the 10-yard lines and there were no kickoffs, so teams instead took control of the ball at the 15-yard during changes of possession.
Due to the confusion, Packers coach Matt LaFleur decided to sit 33 players, including Aaron Rodgers. Oakland also didn’t play a number of starters, including quarterback Derek Carr and receiver Antonio Brown.
It doesn’t sound that crazy on paper, but here’s what football looks like without an end zone. Pretty weird.
Touchdown @PlutoCarson! #GBvsOAK #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/sVBNJHNQsw
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 23, 2019
Brady Sheldon picks off the 2-point attempt 🏈🙌#GBvsOAK #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/KReYNBFc7q
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 23, 2019
Fittingly, the game didn’t end on a TD into one of the odd-looking end zones, but instead concluded when Daniel Carson kicked a 33-yard field goal with eight seconds left on the clock to give the Raiders a 22-21 win.
Jon Gruden favorite Nathan Peterman, one of the worst statistical quarterbacks in league history, passed for 210 yards and tossed two TDs for Oakland.
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