ESPN
The NFL is now reportedly blaming the Lions in the controversial call in this weekend’s game vs the Cowboys.
On Saturday night, the Lions-Cowboys game ended in controversy when the Lions were penalized for not reporting offensive lineman Taylor Decker as an eligible receiver on a crucial two-point conversion.
Decker claims that he did report, while Allen says his teammate Dan Skipper was the one who reported.
A video showed Decker, Skipper, and another Lions player, Penei Sewell, walking towards Allen before the play.
This was odd. Only the ref knows what was said here. Looked like Sewell was blocking Decker from the ref as Skipper was running in towards the ref. I think they acknowledged Skipper during all that as he was running in. pic.twitter.com/VB3jQsqpva
— The GOAT House (@GoatHouseNFL) December 31, 2023
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the NFL is putting the blame on the Lions for sending multiple players towards the ref while trying to trick the Cowboys about which player was going to be eligible, which in turn confused the refs.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL does not plan to change the procedure for players reporting as eligible. The league views the situation as an effort by the Lions to engage in deception and gamesmanship that backfired.
Basically, the Lions wanted the Cowboys to think Skipper was reporting as eligible and that Decker was not. Which would have caused the Cowboys to cover Skipper, not Decker, when the play unfolded. The problem is that, in trying to confuse the Cowboys, the Lions confused Allen.
Fox NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino also blamed the Lions for confusing the refs.
“Sewell and Skipper don’t have to report, Decker does. All three went to the Referee in what felt like an attempt to disguise who was really eligible. Ultimately player has responsibility to report and Referee has responsibility to announce it and alert the defense.”
"It's a two-point try for the game. There's no reason to rush. Slow it down, make sure who's eligible and who isn't."
NFL Rules Analyst @DeanBlandino and @PSchrags explain what happened during the two-point conversion in the Lions-Cowboys game ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/jWOvbNDLWL
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 31, 2023
Sewell and Skipper don’t have to report, Decker does. All three went to the Referee in what felt like an attempt to disguise who was really eligible. Ultimately player has responsibility to report and Referee has responsibility to announce it and alert the defense. https://t.co/YlbrSByuyp
— Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) December 31, 2023