Clear offsides penalty against the Lions on the fourth down was ruled a false start.
DETROIT:Fans of the Detroit Lions will be astonished to learn that during the first half of their playoff game against the Rams, their club was once again the victim of a controversial call.
The Lions faced a fourth and five at the Rams’ 41-yard line after winning their opening three drives, and linebacker Ernest Jones IV obviously jumped across the line of scrimmage early.
However, Taylor Decker was flagged for a false start by the officials after they threw the flag, forcing the Lions to punt and fall back to fourth and nine. Decker didn’t move an inch until Jones was well past the line, according to the replay.
Nevertheless, the Lions had to kick the ball back to the Rams and lead 21–17 at halftime instead of getting a first down inside the Rams’ 40-yard line. It may not seem like much, but the Rams take the field first after halftime and score on all three of their drives in the first half (not including the one where they tried to run out the clock).
Fans of the Lions are used to this. A bizarre call on a two-point convert in Dallas two weeks prior destroyed a victory over the Cowboys. Against the Falcons, there was the 10-second runoff call. The ball that was batted against the Seahawks occurred. the postseason non-pass interference call against the Cowboys. Do I need to continue?
The fact that the Lions are hosting a playoff game for the first time in thirty years makes this season feel quite different. One thing hasn’t altered, though: it is obvious that Detroit won’t receive a home run.
