NFL Blames Lions Not Refs

[gimmesix]

I really think this centers around the 2 players reporting eligible and how they have to report, and actually not being allowed to have 2 reporting. I really think Det thought they got some type of confirmation that this was allow, and so when they announced only 70 they still thought they were in the clear as they though at least Allen acknowledged 70 and 68 as eligible.

I believe it has been pointed out that two players can report as eligible. If someone has disproven that, please correct me. Since Allen only announced one, No. 70, it doesn't appear to me that he understood it was two players reporting. It seems to me that the reason that he thought that was because of 70 swiping his jersey. Decker had said "Report," but Skipper was the one who made the reporting motion.

Again, I think that's why Campbell made his remark about two players reporting. While they can, if they had announced both as reporting, then Detroit would have been in an illegal formation.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yup, and, with them trying to get too cute there, all I can say is play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Perfectly said. And it never fails. Will always get a stupid prize.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

At any rate, it sure sounds like the Lions were trying to pull a fast one, and were hoisted on their own petard!

edited

Basically lol. They screwed themselves over trying to be deceitful.

 

[austin88]

I believe it has been pointed out that two players can report as eligible. If someone has disproven that, please correct me. Since Allen only announced one, No. 70, it doesn't appear to me that he understood it was two players reporting. It seems to me that the reason that he thought that was because of 70 swiping his jersey. Decker had said "Report," but Skipper was the one who made the reporting motion.

Again, I think that's why Campbell made his remark about two players reporting. While they can, if they had announced both as reporting, then Detroit would have been in an illegal formation.

Right. My understanding is that Skipper lined up at guard, so if he'd reported as eligible, it would be an illegal formation. There's no way that Detroit wanted him to report (along with 68) and then line up at guard. I think it's legal to have multiple linemen report -- and I think I can remember cases of referees announcing two lineman as eligible -- but then neither can be covered.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Perfectly said. And it never fails. Will always get a stupid prize.

You that's how it usually goes in the NFL. We probably would've won a stupid prize if not for their asinine 2pt conversion attempt after that penalty as well.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don’t care if the ref were confused or not Det knew who the play was going to so correct the ref. If you don’t you run the risk of what happened happening. All this other stuff is victim junk.

I don’t disagree I just think refs suck and sucked in that instance. Whoever wants to blame that for why they lost can do so but the refs were bad and incompetence is why they got “confused”.

 

[Pantone282C]

Basically lol. They screwed themselves over trying to be deceitful.

Can't be good if a team has to resort to overt trickery to win. Bad optics.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Refs aren’t to blame here, and no one besides Allen has any proof on which guy declared eligible. What we do know is that 70 was announced for the whole stadium to hear with a full 25 second play clock. If that was wrong, why didn’t Dan Campbell or someone on the Lions correct Allen?

To trick the Cowboys. It backfired.

 

[CowboyStar88]

I believe it has been pointed out that two players can report as eligible. If someone has disproven that, please correct me. Since Allen only announced one, No. 70, it doesn't appear to me that he understood it was two players reporting. It seems to me that the reason that he thought that was because of 70 swiping his jersey. Decker had said "Report," but Skipper was the one who made the reporting motion.

Again, I think that's why Campbell made his remark about two players reporting. While they can, if they had announced both as reporting, then Detroit would have been in an illegal formation.

You might be correct, I am only going by DC stating he was told 2 players can’t report as eligible. As If that was the explanation given to him. So based on that I’m assuming 2 can’t report as eligible, I’m not saying I’m right, just using what’s been said for my theory for what happened.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

They could have just kicked a PAT and went to Overtime too. Jmo.

Yea I think they would’ve won

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Yea I think they would’ve won

Yup, or, if nothing else, the XP would've been the right call. If they lose in OT, then it's still a non-issue because they should've gone for the XP anyway in that situation.

 

[Sydla]

The Cowboys covered the guy the ref claimed was eligible.

If they has called Skipper eligible, they would have covered him instead.

The whining over this has gotten pretty epic.

PS - I see some are arguing that 70 couldn't be eligible because he was covered up. True. But you can't count on the refs making the right call there in that spot. They said 70 was eligible, therefore the Cowboys played D covering all eligible receivers.

 

[gimmesix]

You might be correct, I am only going by DC stating he was told 2 players can’t report as eligible. As If that was the explanation given to him. So based on that I’m assuming 2 can’t report as eligible, I’m not saying I’m right, just using what’s been said for my theory for what happened.

Found this:

According to NFL Rule 5, Section 3, Article 1, there is no limit to the number of players who can report as eligible on a given play.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

This is exactly what really happened.
The whole premise of Detroits “trick” play was to fool the Cowboys by having #70 report as eligible throughout the game and then at the end switch it to #68 to catch them by surprise.

But it’s a dumb concept anyway since the referee has to announce who is declaring as eligible. So either they announce #68 and the defense accounts for him and he’s not open, OR they confuse the refs and end up with the result they got Saturday night.

So well put.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

The Cowboys covered the guy the ref claimed was eligible.

If they has called Skipper eligible, they would have covered him instead.

The whining over this has gotten pretty epic.

Yup, and the whole reason the player who caught it was so wide open was because we weren't supposed to cover him. He was not declared eligible, so why would the Cowboys cover a player not declared eligible? The Lions tried to be clever and won a stupid prize. Next time, maybe they should kick the XP.

 

[YerocDeam]

I have no issue with the gamesmanship. As they say, “It’s a game of inches”, so any advantage (within the rules) a team can gain is beneficial to a positive outcome. However, the fact that the official announces the eligible number prior to the play renders that type of trickery useless.

Allen simply announced the wrong number. He made a mistake, likely due to the Lions scheming. And the Lions made a mistake by not correcting the official prior to executing the play. They have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[shabazz]

Found this:

According to NFL Rule 5, Section 3, Article 1, there is no limit to the number of players who can report as eligible on a given play.

.......and apparently no limit on how many people can appear to be reporting.

Maybe next time the Lions entire offense will approach the referee to report just one player.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

How do they know that they need to correct the ref? I'm not sure how this protocol works.

Because the ref only announced 70 as eligible. If 68 was supposed to be eligible, then it's up to the Lions to make that correction. Not the ref's. They should have run over to the ref and said "no, not 70, 68 is eligible". That way, the ref can announce who's supposed to be eligible.

 

[Pantone282C]

Found this:

According to NFL Rule 5, Section 3, Article 1, there is no limit to the number of players who can report as eligible on a given play.

How practical is that?

 

[Pantone282C]

Because the ref only announced 70 as eligible. If 68 was supposed to be eligible, then it's up to the Lions to make that correction. Not the ref's. They should have run over to the ref and said "no, not 70, 68 is eligible". That way, the ref can announce who's supposed to be eligible.

I forgot that it was announced on the PA speakers.