NFL sends video to teams regarding players reporting as eligible

[RonnieT24]

I don't believe it was a penalty from what I've read if 68 had been announced instead of 70.

Go look at the stills of the formation again. If they announced #68 then #58 being on the line makes the formation illegal. If the contention is that the receiver being off meant that #68 was uncovered then the same would apply to the other side of the field where the receiver was lined up exactly the same way thus leaving #58 who was not eligible uncovered. Illegal formation. I think the receivers ALMOST lining up on the line and ALMOST lining up off the line is also part of the subterfuge. The Lions put a lot into the refs reading all the gray area in their favor. It was garbage and bush and I would say the same thing if the Cowboys did it.

 

[Risen Star]

 

[plasticman]

It was based on what they saw. I felt the same thing initially. It appeared Detroit was robbed. And was general consensus immediately after the game.

Although it didn’t have to end the game. The bigger story was continuing to go for 2. That created what IMO was one of the stupidest decisions I’ve ever seen. Thanks Dumb Dan.

It's the perception that bothered me including even some from this forum.

This was not a trick play. This was an intentional attempt to deprive the Cowboys of their right to identify the eligible receiver before any play began.

I thought that surely these analysts understood that any type of ambiguous behavior on the part of the Lions violated the spirit of a rule that was specifically created to prevent exactly that.

 

[RonnieT24]

It's the perception that bothered me including even some from this forum.

This was not a trick play. This was an intentional attempt to deprive the Cowboys of their right to identify the eligible receiver before any play began.

I thought that surely these analysts understood that any type of ambiguous behavior on the part of the Lions violated the spirit of a rule that was specifically created to prevent exactly that.

Yeah there was a lot of it going on too. Both wide receivers lined up essentially at the same depth as an offensive tackle trying to get a jump on a pass rusher. Their front foot was MAYBE 6 inches back from the linemen inside. It was clear the Lions were hoping the Cowboys could not figure out who to cover based on all the shenanigans. They were wrong.. The Cowboys covered every player who was eligible and rightfully ignored the one who wasn't until they threw the ball to him. Dan Campbells exact words in his Monday morning presser "You hope that the other team doesn't hear the announcement or isn't paying attention." He basically admitted the goal was to try and fool the defense and catch them with their pants down. Problem was the shenanigans backfired because sending #70 running at the ref while having #58 and #68 over there in front of the ref trying to be subtle didn't work because the ref saw #70 running in "declaring" and ignored the two boobs standing in front of him doing whatever the hell they were doing.

 

[MarcusRock]

I’m wondering if Skipper did the visual sign and Decker did the verbal sign. And they did it on purpose at the same time to be tricky or as someone else put it, “shenanigans “

It’s interesting to me Skipper said, “I didn’t saying a ******* thing”. Decker said, “ I did what my coach told me to do and said report “. Both Decker and Skipper are probably telling the truth and Campbell tried shenanigans to fool us and it didn’t work.

Well they both did a physical gesture and Decker did appear to be talking to the ref when the more demonstrative Skipper ran in late and the ref turned his attention to him.

 

[Plankton]

He was busted, and still tried to force the victory by going for two. How dumb are you trying to gamble your home field advantage on a two point try? He got what he deserved.

Was very Switzer-esque.

 

[Staubacher]

I would love nothing more than the Cowboys being the team to send the Lions packing this year.

And it not even be close.

No fake punts, missed trips, or Lamb fumbles in the endzone to keep them in it.

If I believed in conspiracy theories, we are being set up for Cowboys Lions in the second round.

WWE baby!

 

[Creeper]

We are talking too much about this play which was clearly an attempt to deceive the defense pre-snap and to get the refs to go along with the deception. The play was illegal, end of story. The refs did exactly what they are supposed to do, and if the Lions 68 reported eligible, the refs would have to tell Dallas he was eligible so someone would cover him.

The real mistake by the refs in this game was the tripping call on Hendershot that pushed Dallas back 15 yards when it was actually the Lions player who attempted to trip Pollard. It is inexplicable how the refs could have gotten this play wrong, and not corrected. This play was as consequential to the outcome of the game as the 2 pt conversion play, maybe more consequential since the 2 pt conversion never would have happened had the refs not called it at all or called it on the Lions. I would like to see the NFL release a statement or video acknowledging the mistake the refs made calling tripping on Hendershot.

 

[rambo2]

Still a ton of people on ESPN all day talking about how the refs should be "held accountable", and they made a "game-changing mistake". We all know they would have been fine with Dallas losing on a pass to a player never announced eligible.

Morons.

Jim Gray was saying that Allen should be fired on NFL radio. I watched the video and it clearly showed that Allen did nothing wrong.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

its one of two things. if 68 was eligible, then the formation was illegal. flag
if 70 was eligible, then 68 could not catch or touch the ball downfield as a reciever. so flag

wither way it was a flag. so Lions need to stop crying. they tried to decieve cowboys and the refs. Dan Campbell admited to it. they screwed up and confused themselves in the process. DONE.

 

[Danny White]

I was watching the ending again today, and also noticed that Decker had his uniform bunched up weird at the numbers making it difficult for the defense to actually read what number he was. I know that's something that can happen naturally during a game but it also made me think that maybe it was intentional as well to create additional confusion as to who was 58 and who was 68 since they were both on the ends of the line.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I would love nothing more than the Cowboys being the team to send the Lions packing this year.

And it not even be close.

No fake punts, missed trips, or Lamb fumbles in the endzone to keep them in it.

I see what you did there!

 

[aikemirv]

Still a ton of people on ESPN all day talking about how the refs should be "held accountable", and they made a "game-changing mistake". We all know they would have been fine with Dallas losing on a pass to a player never announced eligible.

Morons.

NFL Network still trying to say how lucky we are to get the win as well last night!

 

[MarcusRock]

Jim Gray was saying that Allen should be fired on NFL radio. I watched the video and it clearly showed that Allen did nothing wrong.

The refs never do anything wrong like I've been saying for years. Glad you all are finally coming to that line of thought on your own without my prodding. Lol.

 

[MarcusRock]

I was watching the ending again today, and also noticed that Decker had his uniform bunched up weird at the numbers making it difficult for the defense to actually read what number he was. I know that's something that can happen naturally during a game but it also made me think that maybe it was intentional as well to create additional confusion as to who was 58 and who was 68 since they were both on the ends of the line.

That happens to Sewell (58) during the game naturally but it wouldn't be a bad thing to do either as part of the ruse. But Sewell is clearly larger than Decker so I don't know how well that would fly.

 

[gimmesix]

I was watching the ending again today, and also noticed that Decker had his uniform bunched up weird at the numbers making it difficult for the defense to actually read what number he was. I know that's something that can happen naturally during a game but it also made me think that maybe it was intentional as well to create additional confusion as to who was 58 and who was 68 since they were both on the ends of the line.

Could be. If Detroit was expecting the right number to be announced (68), then it would have wanted its deception to be as thorough as possible. Might be why they had similar numbers in 58 and 68 go to the ref, since 58 did not declare. He had no reason as far as I know to go to the official.

 

[RonnieT24]

Could be. If Detroit was expecting the right number to be announced (68), then it would have wanted its deception to be as thorough as possible. Might be why they had similar numbers in 58 and 68 go to the ref, since 58 did not declare.

No 58 did not declare. But he was lined up in an eligible position and either left uncovered if we are to believe that the receivers being a couple of inches behind the linemen constitutes being "off the ball" as has been argued when speaking of 68. If 68 was uncovered by a receiver being lined up that way then so was 58 which rendered that formation illegal. No matter how the Lions trey to spin it, what they did was illegal and should have been flagged as it was. Period.

 

[popp1234]

The rules are pretty clear, why was #70 touching his front numbers when running to the field?

But you called the play! No...No...No! I hand-signaled the play. I didn't CALL a damn thing!

 

[MarcusRock]

No 58 did not declare. But he was lined up in an eligible position and either left uncovered if we are to believe that the receivers being a couple of inches behind the linemen constitutes being "off the ball" as has been argued when speaking of 68. If 68 was uncovered by a receiver being lined up that way then so was 58 which rendered that formation illegal. No matter how the Lions trey to spin it, what they did was illegal and should have been flagged as it was. Period.

From what I remember, the TE came over and covered 58. 70 was 2-deep in the line which is why Bell shouldn't have stayed with him at that point.

 

[RonnieT24]

From what I remember, the TE came over and covered 58. 70 was 2-deep in the line which is why Bell shouldn't have stayed with him at that point.

No the tight end came over but stayed in a slot alignment. Bell stayed with the announced eligible receiver. I find no fault in that unless they were playing zone.