Brad Allen’s officiating team found themselves in hot water after the Dallas Cowboys’ controversial win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday. That seems like a pretty harsh punishment.
However, the team made a big mistake that cost the Lions (11-5) the win and hurt their playoff spot. In the 20-19 loss, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff connected with left tackle Taylor Decker for a two-point conversion with 23 seconds left.
It appeared to be a run, but the team canceled the playoffs and deemed Decker an ineligible receiver. The Lions failed to get a third down after Micah Parsons was fouled on the Dallas quarterback. According to ESPN.com, Allen turned to Dan Skipper instead, and it was the right decision. This isn’t the first time a member of Allen’s crew has been shot.
Schefter noted that Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine missed a defensive pass interference call in the final seconds of the Kansas City Chiefs’ (9-6) loss to Green Bay (7-8) in Week 13. Because referees’ decisions can affect the outcome of the game, they must be held accountable if they continue to make serious mistakes. And the Lions won’t win the NFC’s No. 1 seed. 1 or no. 2 after losing to Dallas (11-5).
