NFL Defends Controversial Penalty Call in Cowboys-Lions Game.
On Tuesday, the NFL defended the controversial decision made by referee Brad Allen to void a two-point conversion attempt that last week would have given the Detroit Lions a victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Officials said offensive lineman Dan Skipper reported in as eligible when both approached referee Mr. Allen along with offensive lineman Penei Sewell before the crucial, game-winning play with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, which led them to conclude that Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker was an ineligible receiver.
“It is the responsibility of the player to be sure that change in status is clearly communicated to the referee by both a physical signal with his hands up and down in front of his chest and to report to the referee his intention to report as an eligible receiver,” the official said.
The footage was sent to team coaches and other staff members “reminding them of rules pertaining to players reporting a change in position,” an NFL official told The Athletic and other sources.
It seems like Mr. Decker is indicating his eligibility to the referee on the NFL footage.
“I followed Coach’s instructions to the letter,” Mr. Decker said to reporters on Saturday. “I said, ‘Report,’ to the referee, and, uh, yeah.”
The NFL official, identified by The Athletic as Walt Anderson, stated in the video, “This process has been in place for many years and is intended to provide proper notification to the defense when players are lined up in positions that their number would not allow.”
The clip also showed Mr. Decker having a conversation with Mr. Allen, who then said something to the Dallas defense. “That conversation is where (Skipper) reports to me, and I then go to the defensive team, and I say to them ‘(Skipper) has reported as an eligible receiver,’ so they will be aware of who has reported and then I return to my position,” Mr. Allen said in a pool report. “That was the conversation with the defensive line.
Lions coach Dan Campbell told reporters Monday that he was trying to confuse the Cowboys by sending three linemen to the referee. Mr. Cambell was asked about whether Mr. Skipper was trying to signal that he was eligible as a receiver and responded: “Not that I know of. Did you see something?
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