The Detroit Lions controversially lost 20-19 to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night. The Lions are now 11-5, and their chances of winning the NFC’s number one seed. It was a challenging, competitive game. Here are three takeaways from this game.
Brad Allen Blew the Game
In the most significant moment of the game, the Lions were a converted two-point away from winning. Jared Goff hit Taylor Decker for the go-ahead score until referee Brad Allen and his crew through the flags and called a penalty on Detroit.
Dan Campbell blew up on the sidelines. The Lions could not believe it. Detroit had two more chances, but they failed to convert. After the game, all hell broke loose.
It is important to add context before going any further. Allen penalized the Lions for throwing to Decker as he was not the eligible player. The referee announced Dan Skipper as the eligible player.
Two weeks ago against the Denver Broncos, Detroit ran a play where Skipper was the eligible player. Often, Skipper is the eligible player in the Lions’ package of six offensive linemen plays.
However, video footage from the ESPN broadcast confirms that Decker is the lineman who speaks to the referee. Skipper never talked to Allen. Furthermore, quarterback Jared Goff told Decker to go to Allen while the Lions were in the huddle.
Decker has played in the league since 2016. He is as experienced a player as there is. Moreover, this play differs from an audibled play or one that the Lions installed this week. Watching this offense, we know the Lions have several of these calls in their playbook. The Lions understand this play inside out. Furthermore, Decker would not go to the referee for a general conversation, especially after Goff sent him there.
Brad Allen made an incorrect assumption. He misidentified the two Lions players. And he then waited over 30 seconds to panic and throw the flag. Head coach Dan Campbell also spoke to Allen about this play pre-game:
“I explained everything pre-game to a T. I did that.”
Campbell was visibly furious, perhaps the angriest he had ever been in a press conference. Quarterback Jared Goff said this:
“What I do know, and I don’t know if I’ll get fined for this, I do know Decker reported and I do know Dan Skipper did not. And I do know they said Dan Skipper did. So, it’s unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, Taylor Decker confirmed his side of the story:
“All I want to say is that I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to the ref, said report. … I did what I was told to do, did how we did it in practice all week.”
Speaking to the pool report after the game, Allen refuted the Lions’ claims:
“So, the issue is, number 70 did report, number 68 did not. That conversation is where [Skipper] reports to me, and I then go to the defensive team, and I say to them, ‘[Skipper] has reported as an eligible receiver,’ so they will be aware of who has reported.”
Allen’s comments fly in the face of the video evidence and what the Lions said. Remember, Allen’s crew missed the pass interference call in the Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs game.
The Athletic’s Kalyn Kahler tweeted this after the game. Brad Allen blew that decision in the biggest moment. It was a horrible mistake. And it encapsulates everything wrong with NFL officiating. Instead of doing his job, he made an incorrect assumption based on what the Lions have typically done.
Lions Defense Played Its Best Game
The Dallas Cowboys were averaging 40 points per game at home. The Lions held them to 20 points, but for one big play where Derek Barnes whiffed on a sack, the defense played very well.
Ifeatu Melifonwu continued his fine form with an excellent red-zone interception. Aidan Hutchinson finally converted the pressures into sacks. He tallied three sacks, eight tackles, four TFLs, two quarterback hits, and six total pressures. Hutchinson was exceptional.
As was the rest of the defense, Detroit held Dallas to 61 total rushing yards. The Lions recorded eight TFLs, four pass deflections and seven quarterback hits. Lastly, the Lions forced four Cowboys punts and never gave up a touchdown following a turnover. Aaron Glenn still has some problems to solve. Nevertheless, the Lions played very well.
Offensive Miscues Hindered the Lions
The Lions were not bad on offense in this game; they just lacked rhythm and consistency. We can attribute that to an unreliable blocking game. Dallas registered seven TFLs. Jonah Jackson and Taylor Decker missed blocking assignments, especially in the first half. Sam LaPorta also missed his wham blocks on several runs and had a costly drop on an accurate throw from Goff.
The Cowboys also notched seven quarterback hits and consistently hurried Goff. Detroit’s offense never settled into the game. They found it challenging to go through the gears in this game.
What Next?
Sunday’s results could lock Detroit into the NFC’s third seed. They host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday and could change the starting lineup. Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams both left the game with ankle injuries. CJ Gardner-Johnson and James Houston could return as they build up towards the playoffs.