The NFL "does not plan to change the procedure for players reporting as eligible" in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Dallas Cowboys' 20-19 win over the Detroit Lions, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.
"The league views the situation as an effort by the Lions to engage in deception and gamesmanship that backfired," Florio reported.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell dug deep into the playbook after Amon-Ra St. Brown's touchdown reception brought the team to within a point inside the final minute of the game. Jared Goff found offensive tackle Taylor Decker in the end zone for what appeared to be a successful two-point conversion.
However, Decker was flagged for illegal touching, nullifying the attempt.
Subsequent replays showed Decker approaching referee Brad Allen before the play, presumably to report himself as an eligible receiver. Allen said after the game that offensive tackle Dan Skipper, not Decker, was the one who reported as eligible.
Calvin Watkins @calvinwatkinsCowboys-Lions pool report: <a href="">
Goff told reporters after the game he was "pretty confused" and pushed back against Allen's account.
"What I do know, and I don't know if I'll get fined for this. But I do know that Decker reported," he said. "I do know that Dan Skipper did not. And I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did."
In his postgame press conference, Campbell alluded to a conversation he had with the officials before the game to lay out the trick play:
NFL on CBS 🏈 @NFLonCBS"The explanation was 70 reported."<br><br>"Did Decker report?"<br><br>"Yes."<br><br>- Lions coach Dan Campbell on the illegal touching penalty <a href="">
According to Florio, Allen wasn't on hand for the pregame meeting, which is "standard procedure."
Florio also explained the Lions included an added layer of deception by having Skipper and Decker both approach Allen before the snap.
"Basically, the Lions wanted the Cowboys to think Skipper was reporting as eligible and that Decker was not," he wrote. "Which would have caused the Cowboys to cover Skipper, not Decker, when the play unfolded. The problem is that, in trying to confuse the Cowboys, the Lions confused Allen."
Perhaps the Lions tried to get a little too smart for your own good. It's also on Allen and his crew to apply the rules correctly, though, and have enough awareness to keep the players straight. At the end of the day, only one of Decker or Skipper will have reported as eligible.
While the NFL isn't changing its rules, the league did seem to acknowledge a mistake was made. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported a "large part" of Allen's crew won't be working the postseason because of multiple missed calls over the course of the season, the two-point conversion included.
