With the Green Bay Packers still seething, fans pondering the possibility of turning off their televisions on NFL Sundays and even the President weighing in, it’s official: Overnight, the NFL’s replacement referees went from minor nuisance to staggering problem.

With the league’s regular officials locked out since June and frustration with their replacements already festering throughout the league, the worst-case scenario finally materialized in Monday night’s Packers-Seahawks game in Seattle: A mistake by a replacement official decided the outcome of a game.

A last-second scrum in the end zone was ruled a touchdown to Seahawks receiver Golden Tate. But Packers players, their fans and much of the football-watching public saw a clear-cut interception by Green Bay’s M.D. Jennings.

Aaron Rodgers used his weekly radio show Tuesday as a platform to lash out at an NFL-issued statement explaining the replacement officials’ decision. The MVP quarterback also questioned the league’s priorities in its labor dispute with the regular refs.

“I just feel bad for the fans,” Rodgers said on Milwaukee’s ESPN 540 AM. “They pay good money and the game is being tarnished by an NFL who obviously cares more about saving a little money than having the integrity of the game diminish a little bit.”

Even President Barack Obama got in on the conversation Tuesday, tweeting: “NFL fans on both sides of the aisle hope the refs’ lockout is settled soon.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy continued to take the high road Tuesday night, but said he did appreciate the passion of a handful of fans who stood outside Lambeau Field with protest signs. McCarthy also said he thought the play “clearly” was an interception. His colleagues around the NFL apparently thought the same thing.

“I received more text messages and emails than I did after the Super Bowl,” McCarthy said. “I can tell the impact this made.”

And while the NFL and its regular officials resumed talks in an attempt to resolve the impasse, every day the labor dispute lingers could further tarnish the league’s reputation.

“At this point, the NFL leadership is on a disappearing island,” said Ramsey Poston, a crisis communications expert and president of Tuckahoe Strategies.

“Virtually every important stakeholder group, including its broadcast partners, coaches, players and fans are outraged. Every day that goes by without resolution to the dispute is another day the brand is damaged. And a damaged brand potentially means lower TV ratings, more empty seats and fewer tickets sold. We might not see that this week, but we will if the lockout extends through the season.”

Poston, who managed communications for NASCAR for nearly ten years — including the fallout around the death of star driver Dale Earnhardt — said Monday night’s game was a turning point that requires swift action.

“Disaster is lurking,” Poston said. “There is no reason to believe the replacement referees will suddenly get better — and now in light of all the negative media attention their confidence as a group has to be shot to hell. How could anyone perform under these conditions? They will be second guessed on every call.”