The 2023 NFL season has been a roller coaster thus far, especially when it comes to the officiating. Saturday night’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys had one of the most controversial calls we’ve seen all year.
Roughly 30 seconds after the Lions pulled off a two-point conversion to take a 21-20 lead with 23 seconds left, the officials called back the play due to an illegal touching violation on Detroit.
Left tackle Taylor Decker, who caught the two-point conversion, was flagged because he did not report as an eligible receiver. Upon further inspection, it did appear that Decker tried to report as eligible.
Goff literally sends Decker over to report.
Gonna need a new story, officials pic.twitter.com/9lUbyQFChV
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) December 31, 2023
Based on what the Lions’ offensive linemen said, the referee called the wrong number as eligible….and then called a penalty on Detroit. https://t.co/8fW4CItDNc
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2023
#Lions OT Taylor Decker: "I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to the ref and said 'report.'"
He also says its his understanding that HC Dan Campbell explained this exact situation to the refs before the game.
(🎥 @nolanbianchi) pic.twitter.com/XOQPMfeWk0 https://t.co/k8o9KRDQA2
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 31, 2023
Jared Goff: "Pretty confused. What I do know, and I don't know if I'll get fined for this. But I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not. And I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 31, 2023
BRING US THE POOL REPORT pic.twitter.com/hMiATyDsjz
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) December 31, 2023
Looks like the refs screwed this one up.
In a season full of painful officiating errors in primetime games, this might just take the cake. https://t.co/YgM2eiXtUK
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) December 31, 2023
This explanation from John Parry makes the refs sound even worse & is insane. He’s saying even though Decker reported to the ref it’s Decker’s fault that the ref didn’t recognize or hear him. SVP rightfully pushed back on Parry but Parry is defending ref for missing it. Unreal
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) December 31, 2023
IT GETS EVEN BETTER
JARED GOFF TOLD TAYLOR DECKER TO GO REPORT TO THE REF
NFL IS RIGGED. OPEN AN INVESTIGATION NOW pic.twitter.com/sDNwTMbYzg
— Booner (@boonersports) December 31, 2023
Officials have been terrible all season. This was just the cherry on top of a dreadful season for the zebras.
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) December 31, 2023
Dallas got bailed out by the refs yet again 😑
— Chris (@ChrisIsHidden) December 31, 2023
so who didn’t report then? pic.twitter.com/5U1sB2kLXk
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 31, 2023
NFL needs to suspend the ref crew or the head ref, it’s time to send a message for the integrity of the game
— HITMVN✖️ (@HITMVNx) December 31, 2023
That took some HUGE elephant nuts for Campbell to go for 2 not once, not twice, but three times!!! 😳
— Ev Glaze (@Everett_G07) December 31, 2023
The referees tonight. pic.twitter.com/PdE5fnOATa
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) December 31, 2023
Report or No report… he can’t be covered by another WR which he was(unless I’m seeing things), so would have been a penalty either way…??? Bummer way to end a good football game…
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) December 31, 2023
The fact that players and coaches get penalized more severely for criticizing officials than the officials ever do for royally screwing up and changing the outcome of a game is something else
— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) December 31, 2023
Pool report: Referee Brad Allen told @calvinwatkins that No. 70 (Dan Skipper) reported and No. 68 (Taylor Decker) did not.
He's sticking by that story.
Here's the full report: https://t.co/7Zjt3gds6y pic.twitter.com/yTlqySlJRP
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 31, 2023
Brad Allen has called 3 primetime games this year, per @nflrefstats1
tonight, with the illegal touching penalty hurting Detroit
the DPI non-call favoring Green Bay and hurting KC (the MVS non-call)
the 10 penalty game against Miami with zero on Philly
what are we doing here
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 31, 2023
Campbell says he gave refs a pregame heads-up on the play.
Based on replays/player accounts, Lions did exactly what they were supposed to do.
Refs screwed up. Didn’t fix it. And mistake has playoff implications.
There’s no “refs are only human” argument here. That’s egregious.
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) December 31, 2023
Campbell says “we warned you (or him) Brad”
Campbell also just said he ran this by them before the game. It’s pretty clear Brad Allen saw Skipper coming in & just assumed he was the player reporting.
The NFL can’t keep letting this happen. It’s atrocious. pic.twitter.com/4qAq3zn6IP
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) December 31, 2023
Coach Campbell on the end of the game. pic.twitter.com/xo0rQQi9C4
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 31, 2023
I would run through a wall for Dan Campbell
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) December 31, 2023
Sure appears Dan Campbell said he went thru the trick play in full detail with the refs before the game which means…goodness gracious.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 31, 2023
Lions fans watching them get screwed by the Referees again cause the NFL is rigged pic.twitter.com/WXxKFVhVyB
— Blake Garman (@FrostedBlakes34) December 31, 2023
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