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Dan Campbell opened up more about the controversial penalty that wiped away the Lions’ go-ahead two-point conversion in this past Saturday’s game against the Cowboys when he spoke with reporters Monday, confirming that he tried to trick Dallas on the play.
After scoring a touchdown to make it 20-19 Dallas with 23 seconds left, Jared Goff completed a two-point pass to offensive lineman Taylor Decker in the end zone, but Decker was penalized for illegal touching because he didn’t report as an eligible receiver to the officiating crew. However, the broadcast cameras showed Decker addressing lead official Brad Allen before the play, with fellow offensive lineman Penei Sewell next to him and backup offensive lineman Dan Skipper trailing.
With Skipper (No. 70) reporting as an eligible receiver earlier in the game, Campbell explained how the two-point play was supposed to work for the Lions.
“It’s about eligibility. That’s what it’s about,” Campbell said. “And it has nothing to do with the ref, the ref knows. He knows because 68 (Decker’s jersey number) reported. It’s for the defense, so that they see three different people, and you’re just hoping they happen to [think] 70 [is reporting]. That’s all.”
The problem was, the referee also thought No. 70 was reporting. Campbell noted that he discussed the play with the officiating crew before the game in anticipation of using it. He later added that he showed the play to the officials on a piece of paper, illustrating the players’ responsibilities on the designed trick play.
But as the Lions were adamant that Decker was the one who reported, Allen said in the postgame pool report that he heard Skipper report as the eligible receiver. Campbell wasn’t sure what they could’ve done differently after Skipper was the player identified as the eligible receiver on the play.
“I don’t have a timeout. I mean, there’s nothing I can do,” Campbell said. “And it’s loud, you can’t hear anything, not where we were at. I think right when…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/lions-dan-campbell-tried-to-trick-cowboys-on-two-point-play-but-confused-ref
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Publish date : 2024-01-02 18:11:51
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