Another negative occurrence involving Brad Allen and the Lions….
After mistakenly believing that Dan Skipper, not Taylor Decker, had reported as eligible on a pivotal play in the Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys game, official Brad Allen is coming under intense criticism. Video footage unequivocally demonstrates Decker approaching the referees after quarterback Jared Goff’s instructions.
The crew chief, Brad Allen, insisted in his post-game report that Skipper was the one who reported eligible, even though the ESPN overhead camera perspective clearly showed Decker reporting to the officials.
Rex Ryan, an ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach, expressed strong dissatisfaction, saying that it is totally inappropriate to place the blame on the players in this scenario. Ryan questioned the propensity to place responsibility on the players rather than acknowledge officiating mistakes, emphasizing that all of the players—including Goff and Decker—performed flawlessly.
Ryan declared, “The players did precisely what they were intended to do.” Each and every one of them. Jared Goff immediately moved over and told (Taylor) Decker to go report. He went straight over there, reported, and the official gave him a nod. Dan Campbell made the mistake of assuming the official would make the correct decision. Why? since he believed that the officials would make the proper decision. Before the game, you go over each trick-play scenario. You basically draw the play up precisely as it is on a grease board. He also drew up the fake punt, I promise.
“This is a grave error. The fact that we are placing the responsibility on the players is what most irritates me. Give up; the players performed flawlessly. Give a person the benefit of the doubt and stop covering their ass. Act like a man and assume some accountability. They could lose this game and possibly the first seed as well. Playing away from home makes all the difference in the world. As a football coach, I can assure you that I am well aware of what transpired.
With 12 years of experience as a head coach and defensive coordinator in the NFL, the former coach highlighted that he was no stranger to officiating errors. He bemoaned the possible consequences for the Lions in the coming weeks and emphasized the game’s importance for both teams’ NFC seeding.
