NFL referee Brad Allen is under fire after making a contentious error during Saturday’s Week 17 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. Now that the matter is front and center, his officiating record is now being examined and critiqued.
Brad Allen Dooms Detroit Lions Against Dallas Cowboys
For those who were not present, the NFL referee has come under fire after calling an illegal touching penalty against the Lions toward the end of their game against the Cowboys.
With 23 seconds remaining in the game, Jared Goff hit offensive lineman Taylor Decker with a two-point conversion pass; this resulted in the penalty. The play might have resulted in the eventual victory for the Lions, giving them a 21-20 lead against the Cowboys. But because of the penalty call, it was eliminated.
Decker wasn’t listed as the play’s eligible receiver, so Allen made the decision. Dan Skipper, an offensive tackle, was the one who reported eligible instead. The declaration was delivered on the field by the referee himself, notwithstanding the Lions’ contention that Decker reported and Skipper never did.
Since then, a lot of people have held Allen responsible for the expensive error; professionals and fans alike have shared video evidence that Decker reported. Most people agree that Allen mistook who was reporting, and it was an expensive error that cost the Lions the opportunity to win.
Since then, Allen has emphasized that what he did was correct and that Skipper reported to him rather than Decker.
Regardless, though, the Lions just couldn’t hide their heartbreak over the incident. Both head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff expressed frustration after the game, with the latter even noting how much it “sucks” to lose when they thought they won the game.
