Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions (11-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (10-5)

[gehringer_2]

  On 12/31/2023 at 4:37 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

Um, no, they weren't.   They are very focused on what the next play is, they're probably talking to players/coaches the whole time and it's not always easy to hear what is being said on the PA anyway (plus the crowd noise).    

Players/coaches drown that **** out

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yeah - if you've been to any pro sporting event in the last 10-15 yrs you know the 1st thing you do even as a fan is tune out the stadium PA as it's 99% garbage noise. I would never expect a coach to be listening to the PA. He's listening to his headset and/or the people next to him.

[RedRamage]

  On 12/31/2023 at 4:36 PM, The Ronz said:

OK - Then I blame Dan Cambell. The stadium announcer clearly announced that number 70 was eligible. Wasn't Cambell or anyone on the Lion's coaching staff listening. If the Lions feel that Decker reported but the ref/PA announcer announced the wrong player - the answer is tough sh*t? That's crap.

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Given that this play was specifically told to the officiating crew BEFORE the game, Campbell probably figured they would do their job and get it right.

Also, I just re-listened to the broadcast and I didn't hear it announced at all. Not saying it wasn't announced but I was specifically listening for it and I didn't hear anything. If I couldn't even hear it when I was listening for it, I suspect it would have been super easy to miss it if I wasn't.

[The Ronz]

  On 12/31/2023 at 4:46 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

It's the complete lack of accountability that gets to me. 

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This what I am trying to say but apparently phrasing it badly.

Decker - # 68 reports as eligible.

The ref/PA announcer states that # 70 is eligible.

That's it?!

There is nothing the Lions can do?!

That's BS.

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by The Ronz

[MichiganCardinal]

2021: Lions-Ravens play clock expires, gives Tucker five extra yards for the NFL record.

2022: Seahawks-Rams is the worst officiated game of the season on multiple accounts.

2023: Lions-Cowboys is decided by an official's failing to do the most simple of tasks and look at the jersey of the player who is talking to him.

At least they were kind enough to not **** us in the playoffs (yet) and just out of seeding.

[oblong]

There are 3 kinds of “mistakes”.   The first is when the body doesn’t do what the mind wants it to.  A bad throw. Dropped pass. Missed putt. Etc.  When I hear fans try to downplay the importance of this call by pointing out “well if Goff hits his guy…”. That misses the point.  Those are execution errors that’s based on skill level.  Both sides are competing hard to win.  Sometimes you execute and sometimes you don’t. No amount of practice or prep will deliver 100% results.  The players know immediately they messed up. 

The second kind are judgement calls.  Either you didn’t see it or saw something and didn’t feel at that moment it rose to the level, or vice versa.  Snap calls made on the spot.   Those are somewhat forgivable and there’s replay to help out. 
 

this kind of mistake is just a flat out screw up. I don’t even know what to call it.  The only analogy I can think of is a baseball manager telling the umpire of a lineup change in the 8th inning then they get called out for batting out of order. 

[MichiganCardinal]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:01 PM, The Ronz said:

This what I am trying to say but apparently phrasing is badly.

Decker - # 68 reports as eligible.

The ref/PA announcer states that # 70 is eligible.

That's it?!

There is nothing the Lions can do?!

That's BS.

 

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I see what you're saying now. Sorry for blowing up your notifications with quotes lol.

Yeah, pretty much. The Lions options when the ref screwed up were to run the play and hope they realize their mistake and correct it after the fact, or take a delay of game penalty and draw up a totally new play from the 7.

[Motown Bombers]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:01 PM, The Ronz said:

This what I am trying to say but apparently phrasing it badly.

Decker - # 68 reports as eligible.

The ref/PA announcer states that # 70 is eligible.

That's it?!

There is nothing the Lions can do?!

That's BS.

 

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There isn't anything the Lions can do other than taking a delay of game penalty because the refs ****ed it up. What, exactly, did you expect the Lions to do? 

[The Ronz]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:03 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

I see what you're saying now. Sorry for blowing up your notifications with quotes lol.

Yeah, pretty much. The Lions options when the ref screwed up were to run the play and hope they realize their mistake and correct it after the fact, or take a delay of game penalty and draw up a totally new play from the 7.

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No problem. 🙂

The Lions could have always kicked the extra point. 

They had two additional chances to do so. 😉

 

 

[Sports_Freak]

[ben9753]

Somehow the Lions lost the game and Derrick Barnes didn't win the award for the biggest screw up of the night.

[MichiganCardinal]

Even beyond the blatant incompetence, if I'm Sheila, I'm livid with the NFL for the lost revenue likely to be associated with this. While the NFL keeps the gate money from playoff ticket sales, I would ballpark the Lions would make over a million dollars from a divisional round home playoff game, between parking, concessions, and merchandise alone. Not to mention the added economic benefit to Detroit hotels, bars, and restaurants.

[Motor City Sonics]

But the Lions know they can beat these guys (if it's a fair fight).  That goes a long way too.     I think maybe the Lions walk away from this game feeling better than the Cowboys do today, because there has got to be some doubt creeping in for the Cowboys.   Not for the Lions.   

[MichiganCardinal]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:12 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

But the Lions know they can beat these guys (if it's a fair fight).  That goes a long way too.     I think maybe the Lions walk away from this game feeling better than the Cowboys do today, because there has got to be some doubt creeping in for the Cowboys.   Not for the Lions.   

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I agree. If I'm the Lions, I'm thinking there isn't a team in the NFC we can't beat in a fair fight. Raise hell over this so it hopefully doesn't happen again in the playoffs, and then go win four games in a row en route to Vegas. 

If I'm the Cowboys, that game doesn't inspire confidence in Mike McCarthy or their playoff prospects. I think there is a serious chance that the Cowboys lose to the Bucs, Saints, or Falcons in the opening round.

[MichiganCardinal]

 

[Motor City Sonics]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:22 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

 

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**** you, NFL.   A little late now. 

[Sports_Freak]

I guess we have to root for Philly to get the 2 seed and go one and done. That would get the Lions a 2nd home game, I think? Or 2 Phiily losses and a Dallas loss to go along with a win against the Vikings and we'll still be the 2 seed? These part time referees are a joke, fire them all.

[Motor City Sonics]

Mike McCarthy needs to be thanking this crew, not for winning him the game, but for getting all the attention off of him for throwing the ball and stopping the clock.      That's not going to help his job security.  

[Motor City Sonics]

ESPN,  who fellated the Cowboys all night last night, has a story about how Adain Hutchinson should have been called for a tripping play.      Way to deflect, ESPN.   We know what you're doing.  

[Motor City Sonics]

There is probably an ESPN email to Rex Ryan telling him to cool it on not supporting the Cowboys

[MichiganCardinal]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:24 PM, Sports_Freak said:

I guess we have to root for Philly to get the 2 seed and go one and done. That would get the Lions a 2nd home game, I think? Or 2 Phiily losses and a Dallas loss to go along with a win against the Vikings and we'll still be the 2 seed? These part time referees are a joke, fire them all.

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A 7-seed has not beaten a 2-seed since the NFL expanded to 7 playoff teams, but I do think the Rams have the ability to knock a team off, wherever they land... Hopefully it's not the Lions. If the Rams beat the Giants and lose to the 49ers, while the Seahawks beat the Steelers and Cardinals, we'd be looking at an Eagles-Rams, Lions-Seahawks, and Cowboys-NFC South wildcard round. In which case a Rams victory would setup a divisional round game in Detroit, against the winner of Cowboys/NFC South.

The road to the 2-seed now would require both the Eagles and Cowboys losing out. Technically the 1-seed is in play too if both of them plus the 49ers lose out. If the Eagles beat the Cardinals and the 49ers beat the Commanders today (both overwhelmingly likely, but you never know), the Lions are locked into the 3-seed.

Edited December 31, 2023 by MichiganCardinal

[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/31/2023 at 5:42 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

A 7-seed has not beaten a 2-seed since the NFL expanded to 7 playoff teams, but I do think the Rams have the ability to knock a team off, wherever they land... Hopefully it's not the Lions. If the Rams beat the Giants and lose to the 49ers, while the Seahawks beat the Steelers and Cardinals, we'd be looking at an Eagles-Rams, Lions-Seahawks, and Cowboys-NFC South wildcard round. In which case a Rams victory would setup a divisional round game in Detroit, against the winner of Cowboys/NFC South.

The road to the 2-seed now would require both the Eagles and Cowboys losing out. Technically the 1-seed is in play too if both of them plus the 49ers lose out. If the Eagles beat the Cardinals and the 49ers beat the Commanders today (both overwhelmingly likely, but you never know), the Lions are locked into the 3-seed.

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If we're locked into the 3 seed and Vikings need to beat us to make the playoffs...Campbell should come out and tell fans to bet Vikings. Rest ALL his players...break the gambling sites banks. Put them ALL out of business...maybe the referees won't get paid anymore. But he won't, he's prolly mostly cooled off and resigned to the fact that we got screwed....again.

[MichiganCardinal]

  On 12/31/2023 at 6:06 PM, Sports_Freak said:

If we're locked into the 3 seed and Vikings need to beat us to make the playoffs...Campbell should come out and tell fans to bet Vikings. Rest ALL his players...break the gambling sites banks. Put them ALL out of business...maybe the referees won't get paid anymore. But he won't, he's prolly mostly cooled off and resigned to the fact that we got screwed....again.

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I don't know about all the gambling stuff... But I think Teddy should get the start and the OL should rest if there is nothing to gain from a win. No need to put anyone in a position to get hurt. After Minnesota, the goal will be to go 4-0 across four games.

[ben9753]

  On 12/31/2023 at 6:06 PM, Sports_Freak said:

If we're locked into the 3 seed and Vikings need to beat us to make the playoffs...Campbell should come out and tell fans to bet Vikings. Rest ALL his players...break the gambling sites banks. Put them ALL out of business...maybe the referees won't get paid anymore. But he won't, he's prolly mostly cooled off and resigned to the fact that we got screwed....again.

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And get banned from the NFL for life. But who cares at this point lol

[MichiganCardinal]

This is so on-brand for ESPN.

[ben9753]

Has anyone heard from Derrick Barnes? I'm still waiting to hear more on that one.