Official Brad Allen's officiating was a major storyline in another prime-time NFL game this season, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Detroit Lions, and it cost them a chance at the playoffs.
ESPN's Adam Schefter explained Sunday that the league uses mixed teams for the playoffs and that Allen's team will be graded accordingly after Saturday.
“A large portion of Brad Allen's team is not going to work in the postseason,” he said. “They're going to be relegated, and a lot of them aren't going to be involved in the postseason.”
The latest issue came during the Cowboys' 20-19 win, where the Lions took a lead in the final 30 seconds, a late two-point conversion that ended with a trick-play to offensive tackle Taylor Decker.
However, Allen's team said Decker never informed Detroit that he was eligible and fined.
The Lions had two more shots from the Cowboys' 7-yard line and a second try when Dallas called an offsides penalty. However, they failed to get into the end zone on any attempt and lost by one point.
Such was the Decker play Controversial Because he said after the game that he had reported that he deserved it. What's more, head coach Dan Campbell told the officials he could play before the game even started.
But Allen presented a paradox Account In a pool statement, offensive lineman Don Skipper said he was eligible and Decker was not.
This isn't the first time Allen's crew has been at the center of controversy.
He powered the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. On Kansas City's final drive, a fumble was reversed by wide receiver Rushie Rice, running back Isiah Pacheco was called for swinging at a Packers player and Green Bay's Jonathan Owens was personally fouled for hitting Patrick Mahomes. was still limited.
Still, Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine on a deep ball to Marquez Valdez-Scandling was too good not to get called for pass interference. Had that been called, the Chiefs would have been well within the scoring range with a chance to tie it.
Allan's crew as well He missed An apparent pass interception during a November game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints.
The NFL certainly doesn't want power to be the primary story in these playoff games, and the league will reportedly respond to Allen's crew.
