The NFL sent teams a memo on Tuesday reminding them of the proper protocols when announcing players as eligible receivers in the wake of the blown call by referees during the Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys game on Saturday.
Tom Pelissero @TomPelisseroThe NFL sent a memo to clubs today regarding players reporting as eligible, including this video featuring the <a href="">#Cowboys</a>-<a href="">#Lions</a> game … <a href="">
"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," Walt Anderson, the NFL's senior vice president, said in the video.
During Saturday's game, Lions' offensive tackle Taylor Decker approached official Brad Allen to report eligible, though he was joined by fellow tackles tackles Dan Skipper and Penei Sewell in an attempt to confuse the Cowboys regarding which player was reporting eligible.
The Lions then threw a successful, go-ahead two-point conversion to Decker with just 23 seconds remaining. But Allen had announced Skipper, not Decker, as eligible, and officials called the Lions for illegal touching. That wiped away the conversion and the Cowboys went on to win, 20-19, a result that not only put them on top in the NFC East but moved them ahead of the Lions for the No. 2 seed.
"If anything comes up (in the meeting), he asks you before the game when you're out there in pregame warmup, which he did," Campbell said. "So listen, everything was explained. This is why you go through everything, so there's no confusion."
"You're not worried about the officials, because you've already explained it," he added. "You've already explained the whole thing. It's the defense you're trying to confuse. They're going to know what it is because the number's going to be called out over the PA, you're just hoping somebody falls asleep."
MarkMaske @MarkMaskeThis is a valid point by Jerry Jones. Referee Brad Allen very well may have gotten it wrong. But if the Lions were attempting to confuse the Cowboys about which lineman was reporting as an eligible receiver, they succeeded in confusing Brad Allen and then snapped the ball anyway. <a href="">
Rich Eisen @richeisenHead ref Brad Allen told a pool reporter No. 70 Dan Skipper reported as eligible and No. 68 Taylor Decker did not. <br><br>Skipper and Jared Goff said postgame that the exact opposite happened. <a href="">
Video appeared to contradict that version of events, however:
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafoloAllen is looking at, and pointing at, Skipper. Decker is obviously trying to tell him he's the one reporting. Replay showed Allen telling Dan Campbell it was "seventy" who reported. Campbell screams, "No, it wasn't!"
Regardless, the NFL has seemed to side with its officials in this matter, despite overwhelming evidence that the Allen botched the call.
Kevin Seifert @SeifertESPNThe NFL could have hidden Brad Allen's crew in a Sunday 1 p.m. ET game. <br><br>Best way to interpret this assignment is a show of support. <a href="">
The Lions' attempt to fool the Cowboys worked so well that they managed to fool Allen, too, and the ramifications of that ruling on Saturday could very well shape the playoff field in the NFC.
