Referee Crew of Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions Game Under FBI Investigation
The NFL is facing yet another controversy regarding the officiating in the Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions game that took place this past Saturday night. Official Brad Allen’s referee crew is now at the center of a major storyline, and it could have serious implications for their chances of officiating in the upcoming playoffs.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed on Sunday that the league uses mixed crews for the playoffs and will grade Allen’s group accordingly after Saturday’s game. Schefter stated, “A large part of Brad Allen’s crew is not going to be officiating in the postseason. They’re going to get downgraded, and the chances are that many of them are not going to be involved in the postseason.”
The controversy during the Cowboys’ 20-19 victory arose from the decision to penalize the Lions following a late two-point conversion attempt. The Lions believed they had taken the lead in the final 30 seconds with a trick-play completion to offensive tackle Taylor Decker. However, Allen’s crew ruled that Decker had not reported as eligible, resulting in a penalty against Detroit.
Decker maintains that he did report as eligible, and head coach Dan Campbell stated that he had informed the officials that the play might be coming before the game even began. However, Allen gave a contradictory account in a pool report, claiming that it was actually offensive lineman Dan Skipper who had reported as eligible and not Decker.
This is not the first time Brad Allen’s crew has been embroiled in controversial officiating moments. In Week 13, Allen’s officiating of the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Green Bay Packers also garnered scrutiny. The game included several officiating moments such as a controversial overturned lost fumble, a player ejection, and a missed pass interference call on a deep ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
The NFL is under increasing pressure to address the officiating issues and ensure that the games’ outcomes are not determined by questionable calls. The league will reportedly respond with appropriate action when it comes to Allen’s crew, as they aim to avoid further officiating controversies during the playoffs.