Lions’ HC Dan Campbell reveals team intended to confuse Cowboys on which players were eligible on final play of the game

The play drawn out to confuse the Dallas Cowboys ended up confusing the referees as well.

Lions’ HC Dan Campbell reveals team intended to confuse Cowboys on which players were eligible on final play of the game

Dan Campbell (via SI)

It may be a new year but that does not hold fans back from reminiscing upon the final play of the matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions. A 2-point field goal attempt which was converted successfully ended up being declared invalid after the referee claimed the players that caught the ball never reported to him despite there being clear video footage of the players doing so.

Dan Campbell stated after the game via PFT that he ran the officials through the entire play before running it through. It was clear that this play was drawn to confuse the Cowboys but the manner in which Campbell explained it to the referees may have ended up confusing them in the process as well. It remains unclear if Coach reviewed the play as it was going to be executed or if he explained to the officials that the Lions were going to confuse their opponents.

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Three different offensive linemen, Decker and Penei Sewell approached Brad Allen, the referee before they took their respective positions. The exact pregame discussion which ensued between the crew and Campbell is still a mystery, there is footage to back the players reporting to Allen, however, the official stated that only one of them really reported to him which was the reason the play was not counted.

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Dan Campbell ended up confusing the referees along with the Cowboys on the trick play

At his postgame conference, Campbell told reporters:

It's about eligibility. That's what it's about. And it has nothing to do with the ref. The ref knows. He knows. Because  68 reported. It's for the defense, so that they see three different people. And you're just hoping they happen to not hear that it's 70 (who is not eligible). That's all.
Dan Campbell told reporters
Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell was furious after the referees refused to uphold the Lions’ 2-point FG (via Pride of Detroit)

It was all but an unfortunate case of misunderstanding. Brad Allen got confused along with the Dallas Cowboys about the details of the play. With regard to the pre-snap communication. Campbell stated that he had the whole play drawn up on a piece of paper but Allen was not privy to that conversation.

Despite all efforts from Campbell, the referees may have misunderstood what he meant to do on the play. On a complex play such as this, Campbell ought to have taken the elementary school teacher approach and broken the play in its entirety down to the referees explaining every minute detail. But it is understandable why that may have not crossed his mind, it was a crucial moment and he had to worry about the actual execution of the play.

If anything, that last play was a great one and a bad one for the Lions.

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