Cowboys win after Lions' 2-pt attempt retaken twice
The Dallas Cowboys hung on for a 20-19 win over the Detroit Lions after stopping a two-point conversion with 0:23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Jared Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for an 11-yard touchdown to put the Lions in position to either tie or win the game.
The Lions opted to go for the win with a two-point conversion. Goff connected with offensive lineman Taylor Decker for what many thought was the go-ahead score for Detroit. However, the conversion was overturned after officials flagged Decker for not reporting as an eligible receiver. Detroit was assessed a 5-yard penalty.
LIONSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS - they get the two point conversion pic.twitter.com/UcSKYnEARw
- CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) December 31, 2023
Cowboys star pass-rusher Micah Parsons was ruled offside on the Lions' second two-point attempt. Finally, on the team's third try, Goff's throw to tight end James Mitchell went incomplete, ending one of the wildest sequences of the season.
After an insane sequence of events, the @dallascowboys D makes a huge stop on the 2-pt attempt.
- NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters postgame that he gave the officiating crew a heads up pregame about the two-point play call in question.
"Two people can't report," Campbell said. "I don't want to talk about it. I explained everything pregame to a tee."
"(Dan Skipper) reported, 68 (Decker) didn't, we threw it to 68, that was the explanation," Campbell said when asked what the officials gave as their explanation for overturning the first two-point attempt.
The Lions players in question offered a different view of what happened before the play. Skipper said he didn't report as eligible, while Decker confirmed he reported as eligible, according to Lions team reporter Tim Twentyman.
Referee Brad Allen said after the game that Skipper reported and Decker did not.
"We had a situation where if you were going to have an ineligible number occupy an eligible position, you have to report that to the referee," Allen explained, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News. "On this particular play, number 70 (Skipper), who had reported during the game a couple of times, reported to me as eligible. Then he lined up at the tackle position. So, actually, he didn't have to report at all.
"Number 68 (Decker), who ended up going downfield and touching the pass, did not report. Therefore, he is an ineligible touching a pass that goes beyond the line, which makes it a foul. So, the issue is, number 70 did report, number 68 did not."
Campbell said he knew he wanted to go for two if the Lions scored when they got the ball back with 1:41 remaining.
When asked if the offense starting at the Cowboys' seven-yard line played a factor, Campbell didn't hesitate.
"We were going for the win," he said.
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