The Rundown

In an electric matchup, the Dallas Cowboys took on the Detroit Lions at home Saturday night. America’s Team has had a pretty good season with an undefeated record at home, but the Brand New Lions gave them a run for their money, despite their ultimate loss in the very last play of the game. The glaringly obvious point of discussion across all social media is the controversial officiating by Brad Allen and his referee crew, which cost the Lions the #1 seed. If you didn’t catch the game, there’s lots to get into, so let’s talk about it.

Throughout this season, we’ve seen the Detroit Lions make a comeback like no other, despite some inconsistencies. One of the biggest areas of struggle for this young team has been a consistently reliable defensive line. As any football fan knows, offense scores points, but defense wins games. Going into this week’s game vs. the Cowboys, Dan Campbell certainly knew that a strong defense would be key in winning the #1 seed, and this was evident in the security and strength in playmaking and defense displayed by the Lions in this matchup.

This game was nothing short of a nailbiter, with the two teams neck-and-neck for its entirety. Beginning with an impressive 92-yard pass by Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb for the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the night, the Lions had a daunting task ahead of them, especially given the Cowboys’ undefeated home field record. Nevertheless, through 271 passing yards by Jared Goff, 65 rushing yards by David Montgomery, and 90 receiving yards by Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Detroit Lions pulled through to score a final touchdown, bringing the score to 19-20 (Cowboys) with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter.

At this point, Dan Campbell had two options: kick for an extra point to tie the game and go to OT, or go for a 2-point attempt to either win the game or end it on the spot with a narrow loss.

Being the ballsy, playcalling genius that he is, Campbell crafted a trick play that included Jared Goff passing to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who would then bring the game home for a 21-20 win over the Cowboys and the #1 seed for the Lions. This play, executed perfectly, electrified AT&T stadium and viewers watching from across the country, myself included. That is, until the worst penalty call I have ever seen. Officials penalized the Lions, calling “illegal touching” due to Decker not reporting as eligible for the reception, forcing Detroit to redo the play. Rather than tie the game, Campbell opted to go for the 2-point attempt again, but Goff’s pass to Mitchell came up short, leaving the Cowboys with their 20-19 win over the Lions.

Dan Campbell, Decker, and Goff clarified in post-game interviews that Decker did, in fact, report as eligible for the catch to Brad Allen. Additionally, Dan Campbell had explained the entire play to officials beforehand, so they were aware of this trick play. While the NFL has not explicitly admitted to this mistake, Brad Allen and his crew are reportedly expected to be downgraded for the playoffs. Reading between the lines, it seems like the League knows the Lions deserved this win.

The Dallas Cowboys are currently tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for #1 in the NFC East. They will take on the Washington Commanders on January 7th.

The Lions, #1 in the NFC North, will take on the Vikings at home on January 7th with, no doubt, a massive chip on their shoulders and a point to prove. 

What are your thoughts? Let me know down below.