Lions HC Dan Campbell vows to use controversial officiating ending during Cowboys game to fuel the team with ‘controlled fury’

The Lions already have a playoff berth as they secured the NFC North with an 11-5 season record.

Lions HC Dan Campbell vows to use controversial officiating ending during Cowboys game to fuel the team with ‘controlled fury’

Dan Campbell (Via Yahoo Sports)

The referee controversy at the Detroit Lions game against conference rivals the Dallas Cowboys hasn’t ended yet. In fact, it has erupted more furiously, and head coach Dan Campbell has vowed to use the defeat as ‘fuel’ to prepare his team for the playoff run.

Last Sunday, the Lions’ two-point conversion brought him to a 21-20 lead against the Cowboys, which could secure the top NFC spot. But the one call made by NFL official Brad Allen to penalize Taylor Decker for illegal touching, claiming he did not report as the eligible receiver, annulled the last play and handed over the victory to the Cowboys at 20-19.

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It led to the whole controversy as quarterback Jared Goff and Decker himself claimed that he had reported, yet Allen refused to accept that. Filled with frustration and fury, head coach Campbell was even spotted ranting to the referee for his unreasonable call.

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Though Campbell refused to talk about it after that loss, he seemed more defiant on Monday, ahead of the Lions’ final regular-season game against the Minnesota Vikings. He said his fury is controlled now, and he is not going to feel sorry for his team, nor will the players feel that way.

I'm good. I woke up yesterday, I'm ready. I've got controlled fury and I'm ready to go. I'm absolutely ready to go. I don't go the other way and the team won't either: we're on a mission and we're not going to feel sorry for ourselves and wallow in everything. We had plays to make and we didn't make them. It's a tight game, a good opponent, playoff type atmosphere and you have to make that one extra play that we didn't.
Said Campbell on Monday

Campbell asserted that he is going to use that controversial loss as fuel now and is moving on from that. Even after that loss, the Lions already have a playoff berth as they secured the NFC North with an 11-5 season record.

Can Detroit Lions secure the No. 2 seed in the conference?

Although the Lions already have a playoff spot, there are many other things that the team needs to accomplish ahead of the postseason. And their last hope is week 18, against the Vikings.

Detroit Lions chances for securing No. 2 seed
Detroit Lions chances for securing No. 2 seed (Via Pride of Detroit)

The team is up in the running to occupy the No. 2 seed in the NFC alongside the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, which makes it a tough competition.

The Lions do have a slim chance of getting back up in the seeding chart, but they have the best shot of occupying the No. 3 seed and will face the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.

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