NFL Blames Lions Not Refs

[McKDaddy]

All I saw on social media were people saying how could all those guys lie? Well it starts at the top, Dan Campbell lied as he led everyone to believe that HE had a conversation with Allen about the play when he in fact did not tell Allen before the game about the play. Therefore as I sit here those dudes get zero benefit of the doubt, so yes ALL of them lied.

In the post game he said they had made the crew aware. He did not say he had a conversation with Allen.

Not sure why Allen wouldn't be in the meeting. Bottom line, Allen not being there doesn't mean it was a lie.

 

[Chuck 54]

The Lions tried to trick the Cowboys.
#70 had been running to the ref all game and reporting as eligible many times.
For this play, they had 70 run to the ref as usual, but had 68 come over on a delay and further away than 70 and be the guy who actually reported. That’s why Goff held his arm in the huddle and then told 68 when to walk over to report.

The whole purpose of the referee announcing eligible linemen to the defense is because the NFL doesn’t allow “trick” plays even though we call plays trick plays from time to time. Teams used to do things like run 1 guy in from the sideline, but have 2 guys leave the huddle and run to the sideline. One of them wouldn’t cross the line, but stand there like he’s talking, but when the bal was snapped, run down field uncovered for a TD pass. That and similar tricks were banned.

The Lions tricked the ref, unintended, because 70 was closest to the ref even though 68 was likely the guy calling out. The ref is looking at 70 and hearing 68 and screwed it up. Realistically, if the ref had gotten it right, he would have gone to the Dallas huddle and announced that 68, not 70, was eligible. If Dallas had been told the right thing, do you think 68 would have been standing alone in the end zone? No way. The Lions lined up unbalanced. They had only 3 players, 2 left and 1 right who were eligible. 68 wouldn’t have been open for the play. If the Lions hadn’t been trying to trick the Cowboys, there wouldn’t have been a need to talk about going over this play pregame. The refs got the eligible linemen correct all game when the Lions were using an extra lineman or unbalanced line for running.

The Lions tricked everyone, unfortunately.
The Lions don’t get that play if 68 is announced to the defense properly.

 

[McKDaddy]

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.

Why can't the ref confirm though? If the players come over to talk to you, why not simply state what you are intending to tell the other team before you walking away.

The often ask again about the toin coss to make sure they are clear.

 

[Chuck 54]

Labeling it “blown call” is a misleading.

They got the call right. They just (probably) announced the wrong lineman as eligible.

Lions definitely could have been clearer and definitely could have tried to correct after it was announced over the loud speaker.

Not having any timeouts left probably hurt them because the NFL expects the player to report quickly so it is announced on the loud system and directly to the defensive huddle. But they won’t allow pausing of the play clock for this. They don’t want teams running true “trick“ plays.

 

[CowboyStar88]

In the post game he said they had made the crew aware. He did not say he had a conversation with Allen.

Not sure why Allen wouldn't be in the meeting. Bottom line, Allen not being there doesn't mean it was a lie.

But if the head ref and the guy who calls that penalty isn’t there and you’re making the point that they all knew about the play before the game (that obviously wasn’t true) wouldn’t you think that would be important information that you should include as well? Considering that it was Allen who gave DC the explanation to the penalty after it happened.

 

[Chuck 54]

Yeah but why would they though? The whole point is to be sneaky so the linemen is open like he was. It's to catch the defense off guard like they did.

That is actually not allowed. The player must report. Eligibility is announced over the speaker system, and the ref directly reports it to the defensive huddle. It’s not just about reporting to the ref. If the ref got it right, the entire defense would have been told that 68 was an eligible receiver on this play. The only way he is open is if the play fake works or the QB scrambles and someone leaves his responsibility. Dallas would have known to cover 68. That’s why this whole thing is so stupid. The NFL doesn’t want direct trickery. The reason a lineman reports eligible to the ref is so the ref makes sure the defense knows it.

 

[mrmojo]

That is actually not allowed. The player must report. Eligibility is announced over the speaker system, and the ref directly reports it to the defensive huddle. It’s not just about reporting to the ref. If the ref got it right, the entire defense would have been told that 68 was an eligible receiver on this play. The only way he is open is if the play fake works or the QB scrambles and someone leaves his responsibility. Dallas would have known to cover 68. That’s why this whole thing is so stupid. The NFL doesn’t want direct trickery. The reason a lineman reports eligible to the ref is so the ref makes sure the defense knows it.

This^^^ how do people not get this

 

[Chuck 54]

Why can't the ref confirm though? If the players come over to talk to you, why not simply state what you are intending to tell the other team before you walking away.

The often ask again about the toin coss to make sure they are clear.

The player tells the ref or just swipes his jersey. Then the ref points at him in recognition. This process, according to NFL rules is 100% the player’s responsibility to get recognition. 70 ran over like he had all game. Maybe it was. 68’s voice behind him, but the ref pointed at 70 and then told the defense 70. If he tells the defense 68, we cover him…..period.

 

[McKDaddy]

But if the head ref and the guy who calls that penalty isn’t there and you’re making the point that they all knew about the play before the game (that obviously wasn’t true) wouldn’t you think that would be important information that you should include as well? Considering that it was Allen who gave DC the explanation to the penalty after it happened.

How can the team control who shows up to the meeting? Couldn't the ref crew have communicated to anyone who missed the meeting?

At the end of the day, regardless of the meeting, what happened on the field is what matters. Did the ref look at 70 running toward him while 68 is standing beside him declaring and just get mixed up when he notified us? That was the immediate theory by the rules guy on TV.

 

[plymkr]

So can we now call this "Report Gate?"

Lol, yeah that’s cool. I like that

 

[CowboyStar88]

How can the team control who shows up to the meeting? Couldn't the ref crew have communicated to anyone who missed the meeting?

At the end of the day, regardless of the meeting, what happened on the field is what matters. Did the ref look at 70 running toward him while 68 is standing beside him declaring and just get mixed up when he notified us? That was the immediate theory by the rules guy on TV.

Nobody said the team can control it, but don’t say the crew knew about it when that is in fact not true. Yes that is a theory, but also why did DC bring up being told about 2 reporting eligible? This has been beaten to death. There are solid theories on all of. The issue is absolving Detroit of any blame here. You can read all the replies, Happy New Year.

 

[Chuck 54]

Do you guys realize that Detroit used eligible linemen several times during the game? #70 went in and reported as eligible several times nd the process worked every time. The Cowboys knew that 70 was eligible. Many of you probably remember Dallas using Parnell as a TE often on the goal line. Refs don’t need a pregame explanation unless you are doing something really weird.

Do you think the Lions told the refs something like this:

”Be aware that we are going to run #70 to you all game to report as eligible, but we may run a play where 70 runs onto the field and comes up to you like he’s reporting, but he won’t report because he won’t line up in an eligible spot. Then our QB will send 68 over in your direction behind #70 and he’s the player who will actually report and line up in an eligible position beside the OG because we will be unbalanced on the right side with 4 other guys all lined up ineligible so 7 guys are on the line. Now, we know you’ll go over and tell the Cowboys defense that 68 is eligible, but we don’t think they’ll listen to you and they’ll think it’s 70 again and not cover 68.“

That’s basically what this BS would sound like because a basic OL lining up as an eligible receiver is not at all unusual. The Lions had only 3 eligible receivers on that play…..1 wr on the right side covering up all the other guys because he’s on the line, #68 on the end of the left side, and one wr to the left of 68 lined up off the line. There’s no way the Cowboys don’t cover 68 if they are told he’s eligible as the rules dictate.

 

[plymkr]

The player tells the ref or just swipes his jersey. Then the ref points at him in recognition. This process, according to NFL rules is 100% the player’s responsibility to get recognition. 70 ran over like he had all game. Maybe it was. 68’s voice behind him, but the ref pointed at 70 and then told the defense 70. If he tells the defense 68, we cover him…..period.

One thing I’m stuck on is the post game interview. Decker said “I did exactly what my coach told me to do. I said report”. I find his wording as odd. It was a Yes/No question.

I’m wondering if 68 said the word “report” exactly when 70 was making the hand gestures to report. Allen saw 70, acknowledged it and the rest played out.

Either way I haven’t heard any reports or statements from Detroit why they still ran the play with #70 as announced eligible with 25 seconds on the play clock and didn’t correct the ref. The ref blew it but they had time to make it right or change the play.

 

[Chuck 54]

So what in the world is he referring to?

I think they wanted only 68 reporting but to make it look like 70 was reporting. 70 never lined up in an eligible position on the play, so they only wanted 68 to report. The rules allow it, but if you report and then don’t line up in an eligible spot. It’s a screwup.

 

[Nova]

Not having any timeouts left probably hurt them because the NFL expects the player to report quickly so it is announced on the loud system and directly to the defensive huddle. But they won’t allow pausing of the play clock for this. They don’t want teams running true “trick“ plays.

Yeah I talked about this a little later in the thread.

Once the ref (presumably) messed up, the Lions were in a tough spot.

They could have taken a delay of game or proceeded with the play and hope it was fine. They did the latter.

 

[Chuck 54]

One thing I’m stuck on is the post game interview. Decker said “I did exactly what my coach told me to do. I said report”. I find his wording as odd. It was a Yes/No question.

I’m wondering if 68 said the word “report” exactly when 70 was making the hand gestures to report. Allen saw 70, acknowledged it and the rest played out.

Either way I haven’t heard any reports or statements from Detroit why they still ran the play with #70 as announced eligible with 25 seconds on the play clock and didn’t correct the ref. The ref blew it but they had time to make it right or change the play.

The Li9ns had 70 reporting throughout the game. They didn’t want him to report on this play because he lined up on the right side in a position that wasn’t eligible. Can’t do that. They just wanted it to look like he was reporting as he had all game but have 68 actually be the guy reporting. Visual trickery, but I don’t understand why the Lions thought this would work since the Cowboys would have been told that 68 is eligible and covered him.

The ref made a mistake, but the whole snafu to me is the Lions stupidity.

 

[Chuck 54]

Yeah I talked about this a little later in the thread.

Once the ref (presumably) messed up, the Lions were in a tough spot.

They could have taken a delay of game or proceeded with the play and hope it was fine. They did the latter.

If you see a picture of how we were lined up against that unbalanced line they used, I’m not sure why they didn’t just hand the ball to the RB. They had 4 guys lined up on the line right of the center, and I only see 1 Cowboy on that side….lol

 

[McKDaddy]

Nobody said the team can control it, but don’t say the crew knew about it when that is in fact not true. Yes that is a theory, but also why did DC bring up being told about 2 reporting eligible? This has been beaten to death. There are solid theories on all of. The issue is absolving Detroit of any blame here. You can read all the replies, Happy New Year.

I simply relayed that Dan Campbell said the crew was aware. If a meeting took place, regardless of who was there, then his statement is true.

 

[Nova]

If you see a picture of how we were lined up against that unbalanced line they used, I’m not sure why they didn’t just hand the ball to the RB. They had 4 guys lined up on the line right of the center, and I only see 1 Cowboy on that side….lol

Also, I know we neutralized Gibbs in a few critical situations, but he’s still their best bet there.

But they decided to throw to an OL.

Ballsy I guess

 

[McKDaddy]

The Li9ns had 70 reporting throughout the game. They didn’t want him to report on this play because he lined up on the right side in a position that wasn’t eligible. Can’t do that. They just wanted it to look like he was reporting as he had all game but have 68 actually be the guy reporting. Visual trickery, but I don’t understand why the Lions thought this would work since the Cowboys would have been told that 68 is eligible and covered him.

The ref made a mistake, but the whole snafu to me is the Lions stupidity.

exactly. they are hoping the defense is tired & a touch slow to recognize what is going on.