Lions' Dan Campbell: NFL Said Delay of Game Is a 'Subjective Call' After Ravens Loss

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday that he placed a call to the NFL to get feedback regarding a controversial no-call on a potential delay-of-game penalty in the closing seconds of his team's 19-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. 

"It’s really a subjective call is really what it came down to," Campbell said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "So I think they’re kind of split on it. Some are—it’s just, you guys have heard the procedure of it and I’ll be honest with you, I don’t even, I’m so over it now. I’m not even [thinking about it]."

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson spiked the ball to stop the clock with seven seconds left on 1st-and-10 from the Lions' 48-yard line.

Per Birkett, the Ravens' ensuing second-down snap occurred 1.8 seconds after the play clock ran out. If a penalty was called, the Ravens would have been pushed back five yards.

Instead, the play went on, and Jackson threw an incomplete pass. Justin Tucker then kicked a 66-yard field goal off the crossbar and through the uprights to win the game.

Sunday's game appeared to be a win after Ryan Santoso's 35-yard field goal with 1:08 left gave the Lions for the 17-16 lead. The result looked like a lock after the Ravens had a 4th-and-19 from their own 16-yard line with 26 seconds left.

However, Jackson proceeded to hit wideout Sammy Watkins for 36 yards. The aforementioned spike and incomplete pass led to Tucker's field goal and a shocking Lions loss.

It was a gut punch for the rebuilding Lions, who have fought hard under the first-year head coach in Campbell.

They trailed the San Francisco 49ers 41-17 but scored 16 unanswered points and even had a chance to tie the game in regulation before their last-gasp drive stalled.

Detroit then took a 17-14 halftime lead over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football, but the Lions gave up 21 points in the second half en route to a 35-17 loss.

The silver lining is that the Ravens, Packers and 49ers all have 2-1 records and looked destined for the playoffs. The Lions went toe-to-toe with each of them for portions (or the entirety) of the game, and a bright future could be ahead for this team.

The no-call was certainly a bitter pill to swallow, but the arrow is pointing up on the Lions' prospects.

The Lions now look toward Sunday in search of their first win this season. They will visit the Chicago Bears at 1 p.m. ET in Soldier Field.