The Detroit Lions scored a touchdown with 23 seconds remaining against the Cowboys in a pivotal matchup for playoff seeding.
Dan Campbell decided to go for two and get it. The aggressive call appeared to pay off. Jared Goff hit offensive lineman Taylor Decker for the conversion. However, Decker was called for illegal touching after officials said he did not report in as eligible.
After the game, Decker insisted that he reported to ref Brad Allen.
Decker believed he did everything needed of him, while Goff said he believed Decker reported and Skipper did not.
“Pretty confused,” Goff said. “What I do know, and I don’t know if I’ll get fined for this. But I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not. And I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did.”
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In a pool report, Allen claims that Dan Skipper reported and Decker did not.
“On this particular play, number 70, who had reported during the game a couple of times, reported to me as eligible. Then he lined up at the tackle position. … So, the issue is, number 70 did report, number 68 did not.”
Skipper stated after the contest he never reported to the ref before the play.
On an overhead replay, it appeared Decker went over to talk to an official, who began to walk away not long after Detroit’s left tackle had a conversation with him.
It is clear that somebody is lying about what happened on the field.
ESPN rules analyst John Parry said on ESPN after the game two players can report as eligible, however, he added Decker also lined up uncovered, which would have been a penalty even if he had reported in as eligible.
Campbell didn’t back off the gas even after the penalty on the Decker 2-point conversion. He still sent the offense back out to try for 2 all the way back at the Cowboys’ 7-yard line.
An extra point would’ve sent this game into overtime and anything could’ve happened.
