Lions vs Cowboys (blatant cheating)

[Irn-Bru]

That performance by the NFL officials was nothing short of cheating. I've heard people say that the smaller franchise's always get cheated, but that was as blatant as they come. For anyone that missed it, a flag was rightly thrown for pass interference against the Cowboys which would have given the Lions a first down and in FG range. The official in the studio analyzed it and agreed with the call. About a minute later the flag is picked up and the call reversed.

Complete game changer, and really disgusting on the part of the officials. I won't say I'll never watch another game again, but won't be watching the rest of this year.

 

[jackvs1]

I saw the play and have to agree with you. I would really like to hear what the league has to say and wonder if any of them will work the remainder of the playoffs. It was definitely a game changer. Besides the pass interference there was another penalty when the Cowboy came onto to the field to argue with ref. Since they picked up first flag the second one did not count either. The Lions got boned.

 

[gustmez1]

I sure would be interested to know how the game would have turned out without that controversial call. It sure turned the momentum in favor of Dallas. Dallas fans are quite happy of course. I was so glad to see Romo was not the scapegoat. He seems to be a fine young man and needed his team to have a playoff win under his guidance.

 

[zzzippper]

The NFL head of officiating was in the Cowboy's owner suite at the time. The same crook that rode the Cowboy's team bus earlier this year. Not to mention Dez Bryant (an offensive player) came on the field to argue a defensive call. That should have been another penalty.

 

[Golphin]

I have never seen a flag on a call like that picked up before. The call seemed correct for the NFL because the defender never turned around and face guarded the receiver. At least the last I knew that was a penalty. Either way it is not like a catch not catch penalty that can be reversed. Looks like Jerry pulled some strings but the Lions still had chances to win the game.

 

[Irn-Bru]

At worst the Lions would have kicked a FG and only needed a FG to win rather than a TD. If no flag was thrown at all I could understand and justify it being a missed no call. To throw the flag then pick it up a minute later reeks of cheating. After the flag they showed 3-4 replays, and yet still picked it up.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I'm about "this close" to completely writing off the NFL in its entirety.

I've never been a huge die-hard one way or the other. I do have teams I like and teams I hate, but it doesn't consume me.
I only started watching football again in the past couple seasons, and I haven't been impressed.
You have players that are thugs/criminals on the street, but because they make plays on the field, they get a pass.
You have players that are thugs/criminals on the field, but because they act charitable on the street, they get a pass.

Since I've tuned back into football, I've seen cheating, dirty playing, lopsided officiating, blatantly wrong calls, penalties, non-calls, etc.
As far as playing dirty or outright cheating, some of the "best" teams are the worst offenders.
I've watched games (like tonight's game) where bad officiating decisions have an absolute impact on the outcome and/or tempo of the game.
Last years's playoffs also come to mind.

Point being, I watch football to be entertained. When it becomes so dirty that I can't enjoy it, then it isn't entertaining to me.

I think it may be time for another hiatus from watching the NFL.


And for the record, I was rooting for Detroit and Dallas to both lose tonight.

 

[labworm]

I'm about "this close" to completely writing off the NFL in its entirety.

Don't stop, go all the way.

PS Your light bulb is out smarty pants.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Don't stop, go all the way.

You're just saying that because you know I'm right, and you can't stand it.

PS Your light bulb is out smarty pants.

Oops... I was spyin' on someone and fergot to turn it back on.

 

[PERAZZI]

Not to mention the blatant offensive holding by #77 on the game winning td pass...

bad all around...

 

[LVSteve]

The officiating of that play was poor, but not wrong IMHO. Let me explain.

It looked to me like the Lions receiver got his hand up into the defender's face mask long before the ball was thrown. That's a no-no. The defender then proceeded to flatten the receiver having never looked for the ball. Offsetting penalties for me. In fact, I wonder if the flag was originally thrown for the face mask, but without seeing the official on camera who knows.

Where the officiating was poor is that this was not announced by the referee. I suspect he called "defensive pass interference " as he had seen the defender flatten the receiver and assumed the back judge threw his flag for that reason. I reckon the back judge then said, "No, I threw it for a face mask". At that point, it's offsetting penalties and fourth down, but he never got back on the horn and told the crowd.

 

[Smokin' Iron]

I thought picking up the flag that late was pretty curious too. But since the Lions are one of the biggest dirty playing thug teams in the NFL, it was pretty much a wash to me.

 

[LVSteve]

Not to mention the blatant offensive holding by #77 on the game winning td pass...

bad all around...

Missed that, but it's not the first time. When Arizona lost the Super Bowl a few years back, a still shot of the winning touchdown showed an offensive lineman basically undressing an Arizona defender in the background. No call.

 

[jtcarm]

I wouldn't go so far as to call it cheating, but yeah, it was a horrible call.

I thought the running into the kicker call against Dallas was very questionable. Martin was on the ground and the punter stepped on him and tripped. The Cowboys punter later got knocked down & no call.

The NFL puts together these all-star officiating crews for the playoffs & it's pretty stupid, they haven't worked together.

One thing I still can't stand is Joe Buck.

 

[Model 19 6"]

On the winning drive by Dallas everything the lions did was flagged.

 

[Dezfan]

I need to open a cheese store.

 

[Irn-Bru]

Another missed flag was Dez Bryant coming on to the field with no helmet to argue with the officials. Should have been another automatic flag.

 

[Desert Pete]

No interest in the outcome of the game. Mostly just zoning out after a steel match. Still, that was one of the worst calls all season. It was so bad it calls in to question the integrity of the officials and the NFL.

 

[Smokin' Iron]

Welcome to the Roger Goodell era NFL.

It almost appears the officiating crews get their marching orders on a weekly basis for what types of penalties should be called and which should not.

 

[labworm]

Jerry was kissing everyone up in his box.

I had to change the channel.