What to make of the NFL’s defence of the Lions 2-point conversion call
Following the controversy surrounding the nixed 2-point conversion call for the Detroit Lions against the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL’s officiating department, in a video sent to all 32 teams, defended its decisions which have caused significant playoff seeding implications.
The video offered the league’s first detailed explanation of the call made by referee Brad Allen, when left tackle Taylor Decker caught a pass that appeared to give Detroit a 21-20 lead over the Cowboys with 23 seconds remaining, after head coach Dan Campbell sent out multiple linemen with only one reporting as eligible to try and confuse Dallas.
Under intense scrutiny, Allen waved off the play, calling Decker’s reception an illegal touch, and the Cowboys won 20-19, prompting immediate and sharp questions from the Lions and fans on social media about the sequence and how it was officiated.
The video made comparisons with a previous play from the game, and contended that the Lions had not properly informed an official of Decker’s eligibility, preventing the officials from informing the Cowboys defense that he could legally catch a pass. It also stated that Detroit lined up in an improper formation because another offensive tackle, Dan Skipper, was declared eligible before lining up between two offensive linemen.
Allen had said after the completion of the game that Skipper had reported as eligible rather than Decker. The video backed that assertion and said that the Lions lined up in an illegal formation as a result, showing Skipper lined up in a covered position on the right side of the line, with the offensive tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to his right.
However, despite stating that players needed to communicate their eligibility physically and verbally, the video shows that Decker did physically report as he had stated.
Reporting as eligible is a routine part of football, but this saga has painted a picture of chaos around the process, adding more pressure to the already highly-criticised level of NFL officiating. And that call wasn’t the only controversial one that Allen and his crew made on Saturday, as they also called a tripping penalty on the Cowboys when it should have been on the Lions.
The truth of the matter is that poor refereeing decisions are having a consequential impact on a lot of games at the moment. It’s understandable as to why there is so much outcry from players, coaches, fans and commentators alike; we’re seeing controversies on a weekly basis and this cannot continue. Let’s hope that there is more talk about the play on the field, than the decisions that influence it.
