NFL’s Disgraceful Officiating Could Haunt Lions
It’s almost unfathomable; yet, it’s a reality: The Lions, once again, lost to the Cowboys – and the officials – in Dallas.
Yes, the officiating crew, just like in Detroit’s NFC Wild Card playoff game with the Cowboys during the 2014 season, played a role in the outcome of Saturday’s contest with Dallas.
In that postseason game from nearly 10 years ago, the refs called a defensive pass-interference penalty on a Matthew Stafford pass intended for Brandon Pettigrew and then infamously picked up the flag. It was an egregious error on behalf of the officials that day, and the then Tony Romo-led Cowboys – which were trailing, 20-17, at the time – proceeded to come back to win the game, 24-20.
Since that devastating playoff loss at the hands of Jerry Jones’ team, the Lions have continued to be unable to beat the Cowboys. In fact, the Ford family-run franchise, since then, has dropped five consecutive games to Dallas, including four straight at AT&T Stadium.
Saturday night should have been a different outcome, though.
The “Brand New Lions” – just a week removed from clinching the organization’s first division title in 30 years – marched into “Jerry World” and went toe-to-toe with a 10-win Cowboys team. You can even make the argument that Dan Campbell’s team out-played the Mike McCarthy-coached squad.
Although Detroit’s offense wasn’t clicking on all cylinders, Aaron Glenn’s unit stepped up with a very respectable performance in “Big D.”
For starters, EDGE Aidan Hutchinson arguably played his best game as a pro. He wreaked havoc against the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott all night long, and finished with a career-high five QB hits and four tackles for loss. He also tallied three sacks against the Dallas franchise passer, marking just the second time in his career in which he’s amassed that number of sacks in a single game.
Also, Hutchinson and his defensive counterparts impressively limited the Cowboys to just 61 total rushing yards, including a measly 2.9 yards per carry.
The only area in which Detroit struggled defensively was in limiting the production of Cowboys Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb constantly beat Lions cornerback Cam Sutton in their one-on-one matchups, and had a field day against Detroit’s secondary. The Oklahoma product finished with a season-high 13 catches and 227 yards, to go along with a back-breaking, 92-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
There’s no denying the fact that the Lions’ pass defense performed poorly in this Week 17 tilt. However, if you take a closer look at the box score from the game, you’ll find that Prescott only threw for 118 yards to players with a last name other than Lamb. In case you were wondering, the Dallas signal-caller completed 26-of-38 passes for 345 yards, two scores and an interception in the primetime matchup.
Overall wise, it wasn’t too shabby of a performance from Glenn’s defense, which also limited McCarthy’s offense to 20 points. Remember, headed into the Week 17 contest, the Cowboys had been averaging a shade over 30 points per game (30.1).
So, from a defensive standpoint, the Lions were put in a position to win.
For example, even after Jared Goff threw his second interception of the night with a little over 2:00 to play (and from Detroit’s 26-yard line), Glenn’s unit limited Dallas to a field goal on the ensuing possession. The score made it a 20-13 game in favor of the Cowboys.
But, because Dallas only chewed up about 20 seconds on the drive, Goff & Co. got the ball back with 1:41 remaining. It was more than enough time for Goff to lead the Lions down the field for a touchdown, and he made the most of the opportunity.
He connected with both Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown multiple times, en route to orchestrating a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. It made it a 20-19 game, with just 0:23 to play.
The only question remaining now was whether Campbell would go for the win in regulation and opt for the two-point conversion. To no surprise, the always aggressive head coach left his offense on the field and decided to do just that.
Little did the Lions and the Cowboys know at the time, but the longest-ever 23 seconds was about to ensue. And not because of either team.
Instead, this was squarely on the doing of the officials.
Up to this point, Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had called a highly questionable game, with much of his play-calling being very predictable.
Yet, he seemingly made up for all of it with the play he drew up for this two-point conversion attempt.
With all of AT&T Stadium on pins and needles in anticipation of the play, Johnson’s unit executed a doozy of one. Out of the singleback formation, Goff took the snap, faked the handoff to running back David Montgomery and then found offensive lineman Taylor Decker open – on the left side of the end zone – for what should’ve been a successful two-point conversion.
It was a perfectly orchestrated trick play from Johnson and Goff. Yet, it was unfortunately too good to be true.
On the play, Brad Allen and the game’s officiating crew – even after 30-plus seconds had passed after the score – determined that Decker had failed to report as an eligible receiver. Subsequently, they penalized the left tackle for illegal touching, negating the two-point conversion.
If you closely review the game film before that play occurred, though, you’ll see Decker trot out to Allen to report as eligible. But, instead of announcing him as eligible, the officiating crew erroneously declared that reserve lineman Dan Skipper was.
And in the postgame, Decker confirmed what everyone watching the game thought: He didn’t head Allen’s way to ask him what he was doing after the game. He went to him to report.
“All I really want to say on it, just so I don’t get myself in trouble, is, I mean, I did exactly what Coach (Campbell) told me to do, went to the ref, said report,” a visibly shaken Decker told reporters postgame. “And, it’s my understanding, too, that Dan brings up the possibility of those sorts of plays pregame. So, uh, I did what I was told to do, did it how we did it in practice all week and that’s probably all I’m really going to touch on with that.”
In case you need further proof of Decker being on the right side of the controversial call, a video emerged late Saturday night of Goff telling the veteran lineman to report to Allen.
To no surprise, the signal-caller backed his blindside protector after the game.
“What I do know – and I don’t know if I’ll get fined for this – but I do know that Decker reported, and I do know that Dan Skipper did not. And, I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did,” Goff expressed to reporters. “So, it’s unfortunate.”
In the aftermath of Saturday’s game, it’s become crystal clear that Decker was not in the wrong. Only one person was: Allen. Yet, at the conclusion of the primetime tilt, he was still in denial of any wrongdoing.
Per the postgame pool report, compiled by the Pro Football Writers Association’s Calvin Watkins, Allen said the following: “So, we had a situation where if you were going to have an ineligible number occupy an eligible position, you have to report that to the referee. On this particular play, No. 70 (Skipper), who had reported during the game a couple of times, reported to me as eligible. Then he lined up at the tackle position. So, actually, he didn’t have to report at all. No. 68 (Decker), who ended up going downfield and touching the pass, did not report. Therefore, he is ineligible for touching a pass that goes beyond the line, which makes it a foul. So, the issue is, No. 70 did report, No. 68 did not.”
Allen might be the only person in North America that still believes Skipper did report and that Decker did not. And, by the way, Brad, no Lions fan is falling for your sorry attempt to cover up your blatant mistake.
Detroit, meanwhile, ended up trying for the two-point conversion twice more, coming up short on both attempts. A Micah Parsons offsides penalty negated the second try, and a Goff pass to tight end James Mitchell fell incomplete on the final attempt.
It brought a deflating end to what could’ve been an exciting, come-from-behind victory for Detroit. And even more than that, it would have been a win of significant magnitude for the organization.
It’s because a win in a hostile environment like Dallas – a place where no one has won since Week 1 of the 2022 season – would’ve sparked even further trust in Campbell and the Lions, and in their ability to make a run this postseason. Fans and pundits alike would’ve started believing that Detroit could win not just one game, but multiple games in this year’s playoffs.
But, less than 24 hours removed from the loss, the narrative already had switched to how are the refs going to screw over the Lions again once the playoffs kick off.
As bad as the officials were in the final seconds of Saturday’s contest, this loss – contrary to popular belief – isn’t entirely on them, however.
Goff and Detroit’s offense didn’t play well enough for most of the game, especially on third down. They went just four-of-13 in their conversion attempts on the down. Also, the team’s defense allowed Lamb to run wild far too often.
Yet, the refs do deserve to shoulder a significant amount of blame for the ending to the Week 17 game.
Facts are facts, and they messed up royally on the late-game call involving Decker. Furthermore, they did a disservice to Detroit and its rabid fans, stripping the city of an unforgettable moment.
There should be repercussions for Allen and his crew, too. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has already reported that the crew could be barred from reffing in this year’s playoffs.
I’d take it one step further and make sure Allen’s crew doesn’t ref a single Lions game during the 2024 season.
Although a drastic measure, I’m pretty confident the majority of the individuals in Detroit’s locker room would be in support of such a decision from the league office.
However, the Lions, as a team, cannot afford to worry about whether the NFL hands down any sort of punishment to Saturday night’s officials.
Instead, Campbell & Co. must do their best to ensure this demoralizing loss – one which means the Lions will likely end up with the No. 3 seed in the NFC – does not do insufferable damage to their psyche.
It’s bad enough as it is that if Detroit and the NFC East division champion now were to play each other in the postseason’s divisional round, it is more than likely going to be a road game for Campbell’s squad.
This very well could be the back-breaking loss that haunts Detroit headed into the new year. In the days of Matt Patricia and other past Lions head men, it would have certainly been just that.
Luckily, though, Campbell is cut from a different cloth, and has the necessary leadership chops to get Detroit through a mentally devastating defeat like Saturday.
In fact, to me, it’s hard to find a more perfect man for this unenviable moment.
And, if the Lions do get a chance at revenge against the Cowboys in the playoffs, you better believe that Campbell will have his team ready.
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