NFL Blames Lions Not Refs

[gimmesix]

.......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.

Right. I think the NFL should issue a statement saying only the ineligible player(s) reporting as eligible should approach the official. There was no reason for the other two linemen to approach the official other than subterfuge. It isn't the official's job to take part in subterfuge. They already have enough problems doing their job without that.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I forgot that it was announced on the PA speakers.

Yes, because the other team is supposed to be able to know who's eligible. So, if they were trying to be sneaky, then it's stupid because the eligible player in that situation is announced. That makes the whole point of them trying to be sneaky a stupid game, and they won a penalty for it. And then the idiots tried to go for 2 on two more occasions that same sequence instead of kicking the XP and going to OT.

 

[CowboyStar88]

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.

So what in the world is he referring to?

 

[gimmesix]

How practical is that?

What, you got something against an all-linemen lineup?

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Right. I think the NFL should issue a statement saying only the ineligible player(s) reporting as eligible should approach the official. There was no reason for the other two linemen to approach the official other than subterfuge. It isn't the official's job to take part in subterfuge. They already have enough problems doing their job without that.

Exactly, and they need to make it crystal clear that if the wrong player is announced, then it's up to the players to make sure the right player is announced.

 

[RonnieT24]

Agreed. There are missed calls all the time, but to make a call on the completely opposite team is on another level. Honestly, I think that is worse than the 2 point conversion mishap.

I agree because if called properly the Cowboys have the ball inside the Lions 15 yard line inside of two minutes to go. Three runs use up about a minute off the clock and both Lions timeouts. The ensuing kickoff would have come with less than a minute left and thus no time for the Lions to drive nor even get to the point of the two point conversion fiasco.

 

[rambo2]

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

Especially from the 7 yardline. Going for it there isn't right call. You kick the point and hope that you win the coin toss for overtime. The poor lions thing is totally obsurd.

 

[CATCH17]

They had 3 tries to score and still couldn’t do it.

The Cowboys would’ve covered 68 if he was eligible so being upset about a play that likely doesn’t work is pointless.

 

[gimmesix]

So what in the world is he referring to?

I think he's simply referring to the fact that Decker said he was reporting and Skipper made the motion that he was reporting, thus two reported. Whether Allen announced that both reported or just that Skipper reported, what the team did from that point on was illegal because of the alignment. Only if Allen had discerned that Decker was the only one reporting would Detroit have been in a legal formation.

Now, Campbell didn't say that right, but I believe that's what he meant.

 

[Pantone282C]

What, you got something against an all-linemen lineup?

Maybe a quarterback sneak.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

This topic has been beaten to death, buried, resurrected, and then picked apart like like vultures on carrion.

 

[Pantone282C]

Yes, because the other team is supposed to be able to know who's eligible. So, if they were trying to be sneaky, then it's stupid because the eligible player in that situation is announced. That makes the whole point of them trying to be sneaky a stupid game, and they won a penalty for it. And then the idiots tried to go for 2 on two more occasions that same sequence instead of kicking the XP and going to OT.

That is desperation.

 

[sacase]

I said this last night. The lions tried to make the refs assist them in their deciet. It was going against the spirit of the rules. The NFL is not going to support you in this. Glad the NFL saw it for what it is. Campbell is going to let this go because otherwise the NFL will come down hard.

 

[Ranching]

“You’re not going to believe this, but the NFL is blaming the Lions for a blown call that cost them a win vs. the Cowboys on Saturday night.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the NFL has no plans to change the rules on players reporting as eligible after Saturday night’s fiasco in Dallas. And it’s not placing blame on the refs.

“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL does not plan to change the procedure for players reporting as eligible. The league views the situation as an effort by the Lions to engage in deception and gamesmanship that backfired,” Florio said.

“Basically, the Lions wanted the Cowboys to think Skipper was reporting as eligible and that Decker was not. Which would have caused the Cowboys to cover Skipper, not Decker, when the play unfolded. The problem is that, in trying to confuse the Cowboys, the Lions confused Allen.”


Full Story Here:
https://www.clickondetroit.com/spor...call-on-2-point-play-vs-cowboys-not-the-refs/

They are right. You send three linemen to the ref. They screwed up. Anyone that knows the rules will agree

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

That is desperation.

Yup, and they clearly didn't take a hint that they should have kicked it. So, yeah, they can only really blame themselves for it.

 

[Philmonroe]

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

They would know when the ref clearly said 70 was eligible not 68 who the play was going to allegedly. It doesn’t get no simpler than that.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I said this last night. The lions tried to make the refs assist them in their deciet. It was going against the spirit of the rules. The NFL is not going to support you in this. Glad the NFL saw it for what it is. Campbell is going to let this go because otherwise the NFL will come down hard.

Yup, and they got caught trying to do that. Which was never going to work as the ref has to announce it on the PA system so that the defence has a fair chance to cover that player .

 

[Etchyboy]

“You’re not going to believe this, but the NFL is blaming the Lions for a blown call that cost them a win vs. the Cowboys on Saturday night.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the NFL has no plans to change the rules on players reporting as eligible after Saturday night’s fiasco in Dallas. And it’s not placing blame on the refs.

“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL does not plan to change the procedure for players reporting as eligible. The league views the situation as an effort by the Lions to engage in deception and gamesmanship that backfired,” Florio said.

“Basically, the Lions wanted the Cowboys to think Skipper was reporting as eligible and that Decker was not. Which would have caused the Cowboys to cover Skipper, not Decker, when the play unfolded. The problem is that, in trying to confuse the Cowboys, the Lions confused Allen.”


Full Story Here:
https://www.clickondetroit.com/spor...call-on-2-point-play-vs-cowboys-not-the-refs/

I agree with the NFL 100%. I have posted this elsewhere but this is my take.

This was 100% the fault of the Lions. They tried to put on a theater show and include the refs in an effort to deceive the Cowboys on what they were planning to do. They had this all planned out to the point of sending two other lineman who had no business talking to the referee. Even having a player with a similar number and another player running in at the last minute. If I was a Referee I would be upset with the Lions for trying to include them in the deception. They tried to be cute and in the end it backfired. Its idiotic considering whomever reports as eligible the Ref HAS to tell the defense who that person is. Lesson completely missed is DO NOT INCLUDE THE REFEREE in an attempt to deceive the other team. The NFL should fine the Lions!

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

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

Not at all but they went for a fake punt on the 30 so we know how desperate they are.

 

[Pantone282C]

Not at all but they went for a fake punt on the 30 so we know how desperate they are.

True that.