I’m going to require you to take a seat for a bit if you were expecting the NFL to issue a formal apology for the debacle that occurred at the conclusion of the Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys game. Considering that the NFL is moving in the complete opposite way.
The NFL has no plans to alter the procedure for players to declare themselves eligible, according to Pro Football Talk. The justification for why? In essence, they’re accusing the Lions of misleading the referees. More from Mike Florio:
According to a person with knowledge of the matter, the NFL has no intention of altering the process for players who declare themselves eligible. According to the league, the Lions attempted to use deceit and sleight of hand, but it backfired.
Yes, it is correct. The NFL is taking the obvious officiating mistake very personally and holding the Lions accountable.
Their basic claim is that they set up head official Brad Allen for failure in a boisterous and chaotic atmosphere by sending three offensive linemen in the direction of the referee in an attempt to hide their intentions from the Cowboys. Following the match, Allen was adamant that Dan Skipper—also known as No. 70—rather than Taylor Decker—also known as No. 68—had reported as eligible.
According to the post-game pool report, Allen stated, “On this particular play, No. 70, who had reported during the game a couple of times, reported to me as eligible.” Next, he took his place at the tackle position. In actuality, he was spared from reporting altogether. The player who ultimately went downfield and touched the pass, No. 68, failed to report. As a result, it is a foul since he is ineligible to touch a pass that crosses the line. The problem is that while No. 68 did not report, No. 70 did.
Skipper and Decker both dispute Allen’s account of what transpired. In the moment and later in the locker room, Skipper insisted that he said nothing at all to Allen. Decker asserted that he did. Although Skipper had been the one who was typically reported as eligible for this game, the video clearly shows Decker reaching and speaking with Allen while Skipper was rushing onto the field late and unable to contact the official.
Regarding the “deception” that the NFL is currently holding accountable for the incident, Lions fullback Jason Cabinda provided an explanation on Twitter about how the team’s routine is both typical and necessary for the play to be successful:
The Lions also went above and above by informing Allen’s team about the play ahead of time to prevent confusing the referee.
“I provided a comprehensive pre-game explanation,” Campbell remarked. “I carried that out.”
In any case, it’s hardly shocking that the NFL has refused to accept responsibility for an obvious error made by referees. They are shielded by something. However, according to Adam Schefter, Allen’s team will probably not be selected to officiate in the postseason due to their performance on Saturday night.
Jason McCourty, in my opinion, really captures the essence of the matter here:
