Video: More on Eligible Receivers - Detroit was copying a Belicheat Play Made Illegal

[CowboyFrog]

I agree, except for one thing. When an ineligible player reports as eligible, the ref informs the defense of it. If the refs informed the Cowboys #70 reported as eligible rather than #68, then the Cowboys defended that play based on false info. Accordingly, if the proper info had been conveyed to the Cowboys that play may have gone differently

100% if the refs reported wrong its on the offense to correct it, why even throw to an OL who was not reported eligible unless your trying to benefit from misinformation to the defense?

 

[OmerV]

100% if the refs reported wrong its on the offense to correct it, why even throw to an OL who was not reported eligible unless your trying to benefit from misinformation to the defense?

I doubt the Lions realized the wrong player was reported to the Cowboys. I suspect the refs were just confused because #70 had reported as eligible at other points in the game.

 

[nathanlt]

Very important detail. # 70 was motioning with his hands on his jersey that he was the eligible receiver, as he was running in. Look for that! Then he lined up ineligible, as you pointed out. So, you can't have two lineman report as eligible... the Lions look worse and worse as this drags on.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I agree. The League has an officiating problem, in perception if not actual.

The solution is very simple - make any call or non-call challengeable. It was so nice yesterday to watch the 2 BCS semi-final games with attention given to get every call correct. I don’t see that the NFL has to go to that degree, but it is unconscionable that the NFL refuses takes even reasonable steps to address their problem.

I agree. It’s absurd that penalties can’t be challenged. That tripping call on Hendershot, for example , was an easy overturn. I think the NFL is concerned about the length of games. You can imagine how every play there is a missed call or a botched call. It would totally screw up the flow of the game. I personally like the current challenge flag system but they need to extend it to make more kinds of calls reviewable, or just auto review any penalties more than 10 yards.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Very important detail. # 70 was motioning with his hands on his jersey that he was the eligible receiver, as he was running in. Look for that! Then he lined up ineligible, as you pointed out. So, you can't have two lineman report as eligible... the Lions look worse and worse as this drags on.

The NFL said as much, he had been reporting all night and did the same motion..its an attempt at deception..

 

[Proximo]

The Lions thought the refs would not call them on it. Skipper messed up and performed his muscle memory response to signal the ref. They wanted Dallas to be confused between 58 and 68, 68 to subtly report, and after they heard the announcement that 70 reported they rolled the dice that the refs would not flag it.

This is 100% what happened.

I had not previously noticed #58 lining up and shifting the way that he did (and did not see it even mentioned in the other threads).

In hindsight the Lions clearly wanted the Dallas defense to have confusion over 58 vs 68 by having 68 report but 58 “appear” to be the eligible one, thus leaving 68 open. But 70 ran out onto the field the way that he did and it caused even more confusion lol. What a circus.

Lions deserve what they got for trying to exploit the rules and muddy up the substitution/eligibility procedures.
The procedures are literally in place so that the defense knows who is or isn’t eligible. Detroit tried to exploit/game that aspect and it backfired. That’s on them for going down that path.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I doubt the Lions realized the wrong player was reported to the Cowboys. I suspect the refs were just confused because #70 had reported as eligible at other points in the game.

I mean they annouced it over the PA, our players heard it but there's did not? I find that hard to believe.. Again if the refs declared/announced the eligible OL over the PA and the Lions threw to another OL its a penalty..the HC has admitted they were trying to confuse the defense and they ended up confusing the ref...#70 also ran on the field and made the jersey motion for being eligible while 2 other players were talking to the ref...

 

[JD_KaPow]

A new twist on the story. There is historical precedent.

What the Patriots did has nothing to do with what the Lions did. What the Lions did is perfectly legal, they just did it in a way that confused the official and got the wrong guy declared eligible.

 

[CowboyFrog]

What the Patriots did has nothing to do with what the Lions did. What the Lions did is perfectly legal, they just did it in a way that confused the official and got the wrong guy declared eligible.

correct, and instead of correcting it out loud so both the refs and D knew who was suppose to be eligible they hoped the refs would give misinformation and let it stand.

 

[OmerV]

I mean they annouced it over the PA, our players heard it but there's did not? I find that hard to believe.. Again if the refs declared/announced the eligible OL over the PA and the Lions threw to another OL its a penalty..the HC has admitted they were trying to confuse the defense and they ended up confusing the ref...#70 also ran on the field and made the jersey motion for being eligible while 2 other players were talking to the ref...

I'm not saying they shouldn't have heard it, but it's not inconceivable that they weren't focused on the announcement since they already thought they knew who had reported. It doesn't really make sense that they would intentionally tell ref #70 and throw to #68. That would be intentionally dooming their own play.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Some of y'all are working overtime, trying to convince yourselves that the Cowboys didn't catch a break.

I guess when you're invested in anti-Cowboys conspiracies, any call that goes the Cowboys way has to be justified.

It's comical. We caught a break. It's not hard to see it for what it was, unless you're invested elsewhere.

Which break did the Cowboys catch? They had to stop the same play two more times, one of which was a free play.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I'm not saying they shouldn't have heard it, but it's not inconceivable that they weren't focused on the announcement since they already thought they knew who had reported. It doesn't really make sense that they would intentionally tell ref #70 and throw to #68. That would be intentionally dooming their own play.

I think they really hoped the Refs would let it stand..they even said the were trying to confuse the defense..

 

[Kevinicus]

This is actually some good extra details that aren’t being discussed. I particularly like the footage showing 58 lining up as eligible then motioning back to an ineligible spot. That should be an illegal formation like he mentions.

He never lined up in an eligible spot. Being wide isn't "eligible" and being tight isn't "ineligible." Eligible just has to be the last player on the line. One on each side, with a total of 7 players.

 

[OmerV]

I think they really hoped the Refs would let it stand..they even said the were trying to confuse the defense..

The method of confusing the defense was to have 2 O-Linemen approach the ref, and another come in late so any Cowboy players or coaches watching it might be confused. I don't think it was to intentionally inform the refs of one player and throw to another. It wouldn't make sense to intentionally give the refs grounds to reverse the play.

 

[CowboyFrog]

The method of confusing the defense was to have 2 O-Linemen approach the ref, and another come in late so any Cowboy players or coaches watching it might be confused. I don't think it was to intentionally inform the refs of one player and throw to another. It wouldn't make sense to intentionally give the refs grounds to reverse the play.

Have they said they did not hear the declare? really asking because i have not heard that. I have listened to the broadcast on that play and it is crystal clear who they announce...there is no way they didnt hear it.

 

[9of11]

Its over, we won....end of story....beat Washington, win the Super Bowl....

 

[MarcusRock]

The method of confusing the defense was to have 2 O-Linemen approach the ref, and another come in late so any Cowboy players or coaches watching it might be confused. I don't think it was to intentionally inform the refs of one player and throw to another. It wouldn't make sense to intentionally give the refs grounds to reverse the play.

Right. That's just obvious logic.

 

[OmerV]

Have they said they did not hear the declare? really asking because i have not heard that. I have listened to the broadcast on that play and it is crystal clear who they announce...there is no way they didnt hear it.

I don't know that if they said anything about whether they heard the announcement, but they did say that they informed the refs of #68, and there really isn't any logic to suggest they didn't believe that. Why would they intentionally undermine their own play?

 

[CowboyFrog]

I don't know that if they said anything about whether they heard the announcement, but they did say that they informed the refs of #68, and there really isn't any logic to suggest they didn't believe that. Why would they intentionally undermine their own play?

I dont know, all i can go off of is that the refs did declare #70 over the PA and it was pretty crystal clear..they have said they were trying to confuse the D and did run multiple OL at the refs...I'm not saying your wrong I'm just saying that 90k + people heard the call in the stadium, i find it hard to believe they couldn't hear it.

 

[MarcusRock]

A new twist on the story. There is historical precedent.

The thing I agree with here is that once you report as eligible, you should remain eligible instead of what the Lions did in shifting their line. Because then it makes the PA announcement and what the ref tells the defense of none effect. I like the attempt though and hope McCarthy adopts it for the playoffs before the rule might get changed in the offseason, lol.