By Jeremy T. Ballreich
On December 30th, 2023, with the 2nd place seed on the line, and a shot at the 1st seed really, the Lions played their 5th Prime Time Game on Saturday Night because of New Year’s Day. The lights were bright at AT&T Stadium and stars from both teams showed out.
Defensively, even though we gave up a ton of yards in the passing game (323), we didn’t give up points like every other opponent the Cowboys have faced. Prior to this game, Dallas averaged 42.2 points a game in Arlington. They scored 21.
Aidan Hutchinson was a man on a mission. Destroy Dak Prescott, three sacks he had on the signal caller.
Ifeatu Melfonwu had another great game starting at Safety again. Picking off a pass intended for CeeDee Lamb (Thank God he covered him!).
CeeDee Lamb had a monster game himself over 200 yards and one TD.
A career high in yards!
Derrick Barnes had the whiff of the night with a chance to sack Dak Prescott for a safety. He missed, the Cowboys scored a Touchdown on that ensuing drive. That’s a nine-point swing with momentum.
The end of the game is marred with controversy over one play. In which, the Lions scored a go ahead two-point conversion, to make the score 22-21 with 23 seconds on the clock and Dallas having three timeouts.
Everyone in attendance at the game, and those millions watching from home saw Taylor Decker go and stand in front of Head Referee Brad Allen. Then after nodding to Decker, 20 yards away you see Dan Skipper start to come on to the field. At this point, Allen talks to the Dallas defense. Makes an announcement, the crowd’s so loud, it’s muffled and inaudible to everyone through the TV. Yet the ref threw the flag. Detroit was celebrating a play that never happened to the stat column.
Illegal touching on 68, and illegal formation. Because number 70 was the receiver eligible lineman. The only person that celebrated that news was in the owner’s box, Jerry Jones.
This is very reminiscent of the Lions vs Dallas Game with picked up Pass Interference flag called on Anthony Hudgins against Brandon Pettigrew. Another rail job in the annals of Lions history.
There is a rule if the Commissioner of the NFL has the cojones to do it. Rule 17 article C states the Commissioner can overturn the results of the game is there is an egregious error in the way it is called.
1) Reverse the results of the game.
2) Make the teams replay from that specific point with the corrected score.
3) Make them replay the entire game from the beginning.
This rule was put into place after the 2018 NFC Championship with the no call that put the Rams in the Super Bowl versus the Patriots.
But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has yet to prove he has the intestinal fortitude to correct such things. In the 276 games the year following the rule. 169 such things happened, and he did nothing but the standard apology.
So, Nothing was Done.
Final Results
DET 20*
DAL 21
Thanks For Reading!!!
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