NFL Reminds Players to Clearly Report as Eligible Receiver After Cowboys-Lions Drama

The NFL sent teams a memo on Tuesday reminding them of the proper protocols when announcing players as eligible receivers in the wake of the blown call by referees during the Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys game on Saturday.

"It is the responsibility of the player to be sure that change in status is clearly communicated to the referee by both a physical signal, with his hands up and down in front of his chest, and to report to the referee his intention to report as an eligible receiver," Walt Anderson, the NFL's senior vice president, said in the video.

During Saturday's game, Lions' offensive tackle Taylor Decker approached official Brad Allen to report eligible, though he was joined by fellow tackles tackles Dan Skipper and Penei Sewell in an attempt to confuse the Cowboys regarding which player was reporting eligible.

The Lions then threw a successful, go-ahead two-point conversion to Decker with just 23 seconds remaining. But Allen had announced Skipper, not Decker, as eligible, and officials called the Lions for illegal touching. That wiped away the conversion and the Cowboys went on to win, 20-19, a result that not only put them on top in the NFC East but moved them ahead of the Lions for the No. 2 seed.

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said he discussed that very scenario with officials before the game.

"If anything comes up (in the meeting), he asks you before the game when you're out there in pregame warmup, which he did," Campbell said. "So listen, everything was explained. This is why you go through everything, so there's no confusion."

"You're not worried about the officials, because you've already explained it," he added. "You've already explained the whole thing. It's the defense you're trying to confuse. They're going to know what it is because the number's going to be called out over the PA, you're just hoping somebody falls asleep."

Allen maintained after the game during the pool report that it was Skipper who reported eligible, not Decker.

Video appeared to contradict that version of events, however:

Regardless, the NFL has seemed to side with its officials in this matter, despite overwhelming evidence that the Allen botched the call.

The Lions' attempt to fool the Cowboys worked so well that they managed to fool Allen, too, and the ramifications of that ruling on Saturday could very well shape the playoff field in the NFC.