NFL Reportedly Believes Detroit Lions at fault for Controversial Penalty vs Dallas Cowboys
In Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions took a chance when they tried a game-winning two-point convert with 23 seconds left. One of the more contentious incidents of the 2023 season transpired after that, and it seems the NFL holds the Lions accountable for it.
Detroit converted a 20–13 deficit into a one-point game with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. With 23 seconds
remaining, Lions head coach Dan Campbell stuck to his principles and tried the two-point convert that would have given his club the lead.
Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson drew up the perfect play for the situation. As an eligible player, offensive tackle Taylor Decker took a delayed route to the end zone and was left wide open for the successful two-point conversion. However, the officiating crew nullified the play by ruling Decker an ineligible receiver.
Dan Skipper, the Lions’ backup offensive tackle, was sent onto the field for the play. Detroit planned to deceive Dallas into thinking that Skipper had self-reported as eligible after racing towards the official. As it happened, Decker was the one who informed referee Brad Allen that he would be qualified for the play.
But Allen made an expensive error. The senior referee saw Decker as doing his typical tackle job and declared Skipper eligible. Decker was therefore considered an ineligible receiver on the play and was flagged for improper contact. Although Allen made the mistake, it seems the NFL holds Detroit’s deceit accountable.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the NFL doesn’t plan to make any changes in 202 regarding the procedure for players reporting as eligible. Instead, the NFL views the fallout from what happened as the downside of the Lions’ efforts to engage in “deception and gamesmanship” with Detroit responsible for the consequences.
The NFL’s position is not unexpected. This season, the most common grievance expressed by players, coaches, spectators, and experts has been related to officiating. But throughout the season, league officials and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have supported officiating crews.
The NFL is not expected to allow Allen’s staff to work a postseason game, therefore there are repercussions for them. The NFL’s belief that the team is at responsibility for its own officiating staff serves as another reminder to players and coaches that referees are rarely held accountable for their errors, even though the consequences were significantly worse for Detroit.
Leave a Reply