The NFL wants to make sure its teams, coaches and players understand the process for reporting players as eligible receivers following the Dallas Cowboys’ 20-19 win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.
The Cowboys were able to hold on for the win after a potential game-winning two-point conversion attempt by the Lions was called back by an illegal touching penalty.
The penalty happened after referee Brad Allen announcing No. 70 Dan Skipper as eligible instead of No. 68 Taylor Decker, as the Lions had wanted.
Campbell and the Lions were enraged after the game, while the penalty dominated discussion around the NFL over the weekend.
Allen’s crew will be officiating Saturday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. His crew has been at the center of a handful of controversial calls and games this season, including a non-call on a blatant pass interference at the end of the Green Bay Packers-Kansas City Chiefs game, as well as the Miami Dolphins-Philadelphia Eagles game where the Dolphins were penalized 10 times to the Eagles’ zero penalties.
The main takeaway from the Cowboys-Lions game from the league, however, is that if you try to confuse the other team you might end up confusing the referees as well. At that point it is your fault. Not the referee.
