Game Thread: Saturday Night Football: Lions @ Cowboys, 12/30/23, 8:15 ET

[Hank Kingsley]

I did too. I didn't expect it to be this close and the Lions went toe to toe with a playoff team, who really needed a W and is the best home field team in the game.

The Lions got screwed and although Dallas was not informed about the proper elgible tackle (and ftr I am not familiar with the rules regarding eligible jersey numbers) but observing their postions in the formation is the only thing the Dallas D should have needed to determine that Decker was the eligible one.. and 70 was not.

I also don't think that Campbell will make the same sorts of decisions in the playoffs, if a bad one means their season is over. At least I hope not. Not taking the 3 on 4th & goal at the 5 right before the half, after being stuffed a couple of times, was not smart regardless though. But they were not going to get the 1 seed anyway. So maybe they lost a chance at more than 1 game HFA that was not guaranteed even with a win. Not a huge deal imo.

If the refs tell you 70 is the eligible guy you’re not gonna waste a second on 68 who was lined up at his normal tackle spot where he was all game. It was fucked up all around.

 

[Battlelyon]

Remember that horribly officiated Rams/Seahawks game. Same officials.

NFL officiating under scrutiny after Seahawks-Rams controversy

abcnews.go.com

 

[obxyankeefan]

 

[Mebert]

Wrong. 70 also approached the refs.

He was running by to get on the field, he did not approach the ref

 

[Manster7588]

He was running by to get on the field, he did not approach the ref

Go watch again. He ran to the ref. Then turned left to enter the huddle. Sounds like Campbell wanted to confuse Dallas to bad he confused the refs.

 

[Rowdy]

Go watch again. He ran to the ref. Then turned left to enter the huddle. Sounds like Campbell wanted to confuse Dallas to bad he confused the refs.

That is what happened and I’m sure that was the plan. It’s not the lions fault the refs were able to use the excuse that they were confused. As I said referring is one job I’d be on board with AI taking

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Neither team is going to win the conference with the way their coaches manage games. Enjoy the victory but dont get your hopes too high. 3 games in a row for the Cowboys that they got outplayed. And they have no home playoff games most likely unless you get lucky and the Giants beat the Eagles next week.

Vee shall see....

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

Neither team is going to win the conference with the way their coaches manage games. Enjoy the victory but dont get your hopes too high. 3 games in a row for the Cowboys that they got outplayed. And they have no home playoff games most likely unless you get lucky and the Giants beat the Eagles next week.

Fly Iggles Fly

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

So high probability now we have Packers @ Cowboys, Rams @ Lions and Eagles @ Saints or Bucs. That call or assumption or whatever is kind of a pretty big deal. I think the Lions would rather host the Packers than the Rams. As would Dallas.

 

[obxyankeefan]

So high probability now we have Packers @ Cowboys, Rams @ Lions and Eagles @ Saints or Bucs. That call or assumption or whatever is kind of a pretty big deal. I think the Lions would rather host the Packers than the Rams. As would Dallas.

If the home teams win all the first round games than the Lions would be playing in Dallas.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

If the home teams win all the first round games than the Lions would be playing in Dallas.

Yep, it would be the re-match. The Rams will give the Lions all they can handle, imo.

 

[Old Lion]

Remember that horribly officiated Rams/Seahawks game. Same officials.

NFL officiating under scrutiny after Seahawks-Rams controversy

abcnews.go.com

What makes the NFL sit back and think "We need to give these guys a prime time game with huge playoff implications"?

 

[Old Lion]

Yep, it would be the re-match. The Rams will give the Lions all they can handle, imo.

So would the Pack. They beat us once already. I would rather play the Rams. AC knows Stafford better than any other coordinator.

 

[jarntt]

If the home teams win all the first round games than the Lions would be playing in Dallas.

First off Dallas needs to win next week. They have only beaten the Giants, Chargers and Car on the road this year

 

[jarntt]

NFL has no plan to change procedure for reporting as eligible

With the Eagles losing to the Cardinals on Sunday, Saturday night's outcome in the Detroit-Dallas game becomes even more significant.

www.nbcsports.com

So Belichick like...Also explains why Decker's comment was: I did what coach told me to
Part of the reason for reporting is so the opposing team knows, which is why the ref announces it on the microphone.

 

[Tainthappening]

 

[jarntt]

SECTION 3 - CHANGES IN POSITION​

ARTICLE 1. REPORTING CHANGE OF POSITION​

An offensive player wearing the number of an ineligible pass receiver (50–79 and 90–99) is permitted to line up in the position of an eligible pass receiver (1–49 and 80–89), and an offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver is permitted to line up in the position of an ineligible pass receiver, provided that he immediately reports the change in his eligibility status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team.

He must participate in such eligible or ineligible position as long as he is continuously in the game, but prior to each play he must again report his status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team. The game clock shall not be stopped, and the ball shall not be put in play until the Referee takes his normal position.

Note: An offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver who reports as ineligible must line up within the normal five-player core formed by ineligible players. The player cannot be more than two players removed from the middle player of a seven-player line.



It's clear the opposing team needs to be notified and that deception is not supposed to occur.
I just re-watched the play. The ref doesn't seem to make an announcement about anyone reporting (or at least I couldn't hear it over Joe Buck not shutting the FU and the crowd noise). It's unclear if he told the Cowboys anything but if he did you can't seem to hear it. But Joe Buck specifically states right before the snap "Dan Skipper an extra offensive lineman comes in". It's unclear exactly why Buck says this. Was it because Skipper was lined up in the slot before moving down to the LOS and he noticed him or was there some sort of announcement about Skipper only? Regardless, it sucks that this put a damper on a great game.

 

[Mebert]

NFL has no plan to change procedure for reporting as eligible

With the Eagles losing to the Cardinals on Sunday, Saturday night's outcome in the Detroit-Dallas game becomes even more significant.

www.nbcsports.com

So Belichick like...Also explains why Decker's comment was: I did what coach told me to
Part of the reason for reporting is so the opposing team knows, which is why the ref announces it on the microphone.

Here is the crazy part of that article.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Brad Allen was not present for the pregame meeting with Campbell.

The one guy who got confused by everything did not bother to show up to the pre-game meeting where the Lions go over their planned trick plays. No wonder he was confused. He chose to be ignorant of the plans.

 

[jarntt]

Here is the crazy part of that article.



The one guy who got confused by everything did not bother to show up to the pre-game meeting where the Lions go over their planned trick plays. No wonder he was confused. He chose to be ignorant of the plans.

That jumped out to me as well, but then it states: "that's standard procedure"

"Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Brad Allen was not present for the pregame meeting with Campbell. That’s standard procedure. It’s not known whether Campbell explained that a shell game of sorts would be played before the play to confuse the Cowboys. It’s hard to imagine Campbell articulating that."

I wasn't sure what exactly to make of it. SOP that the ref (any ref) isn't there (they have other jobs as we know)? SOP that Allen isn't there? Poorly written article and meant to say it is SOP that Allen should be there?