The National Football League is in damage control after a controversial end-zone call by replacement referees that decided the fate of Monday night's game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks won 14-12 after replacement officials, standing in for locked-out NFL regulars, gave possession of a disputed pass to Seattle receiver Golden Tate.

According to the NFL, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay 24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.

"Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone," the NFL said in a statement. "Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball. While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground.  This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended  the game.

The league said the play was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.

"When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings  had possession of the ball," NFL officials said. "Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player.  The result of the play was a touchdown.

The NFL said Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review and the aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball.  

They also said that Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood.  

The NFL said its Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.

The result of the game is final.

The final play Monday night caused outrage among viewers. Discussion of the game also accounted for at least four of the top 10 topics on Twitter in the United States.

"I would love to see what my reaction would be if a Mavs game ended like #MNF. #Expensive #NBAtime," Mark Cuban tweeted. 

Stephen A. Smith called the play "disgraceful and an absolute robbery. 

"That's it! I'm done," Smith tweeted. "CLEARLY AN INTERCEPTION. The NFL should be ashamed of itself for allowing this officiating to regress to this point. If the NFL wants to maintain any credibility whatsoever, it should OVERTURN this decision IMMEDIATELY. This game should be awarded to GB."

NBA Champion Lebron James shared similar sentiments. 

"These replacement refs gotta go man!!" James tweeted. "Packers just got game took from them. I LOVE NFL football to much to see this type of work."

In his column, Sports Illustrated's Peter King said "The legitimacy of NFL games is at stake with officials who simply aren't suited to work games of the intensity and importance."