Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff did not hide his disappointment over the team’s rather controversial loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 on Saturday.
The Lions thought that they won the game after cutting the Cowboys’ lead to just one with just seconds left on the clock and bagging the ensuing two-point conversion for the 21-20 victory. However, a rather bizarre penalty wiped off their conversion and eventually denied them the win.
After Amon-Ra St. Brown caught Goff’s pass and drove for the touchdown to make the score 20-19 with 23 seconds left, the Lions had the option to tie the game with a field goal or go for the win with a two-point conversion. Obviously, they chose the latter and appeared to have success with it after offensive lineman Taylor Decker caught the pass for the score.
Unfortunately, it was waived off as the referees whistled an illegal touching penalty. It is because Decker did not report as an eligible receiver, with offensive tackle Dan Skipper being the one announced as the eligible receiver. There was some confusion with who really reported, but referee Brad Allen stood by his decision.
The Lions were already celebrating the conversion before it was erased. And while they were given two more shots for the victory after the Cowboys were called for an offsides penalty, Goff couldn’t replicate their initial success and Dallas held on for the 20-19 win instead.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Goff expressed his dismay with the wild finish, emphasizing how bad it feels to have thought they won, only for it to be taken away. Making matters worse, it’s looking more and more likely that it’s the referee who made the mistake in announcing the eligible receiver.
“It sucks. It’s unfortunate man. I don’t know if I’ve had this feeling before, where you feel like you won but you didn’t,” Goff shared, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic.
Jared Goff also came to the defense of his Detroit Lions teammate, Taylor Decker, noting that he knows very well that Decker reported to be the eligible receiver and not Skipper.
“I don’t know if I’ll get fined for this, but I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not,” the Lions QB added, via NBC Sports.
It’s hard not to feel bad for Goff and the Lions. They were so close to winning, and to lose the way they did on Saturday would leave a sour taste on anyone’s mouth.
Not to mention that the Lions were hoping to keep their dominant run alive after winning the NFC North title for the first time in 30 years. What would have been an epic celebration turned to a nightmare for them.
Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell Equally Frustrated as Jared Goff
Sure enough, it’s not only Jared Goff who expressed frustration with the loss. Even Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell couldn’t hold back his anger over what happened.
The controversy aside, Campbell just hates losing.
“Would you be frustrated right now? I don’t like losing … That’s what happened. We lost. That bothers me. It bothers me. I don’t like having an L. That’s the frustration. I’m sorry. I don’t mean it at you,” Campbell shared, per Awful Announcing.
The Lions have every right to feel that the win was taken away from them. It’s really close, and it might not really have been their fault that there was a penalty called.
Even if the NFL reviews the play, however, nothing will change and they have already lost. Now, all they could do is move on and hope that the officiating will be better the next time they are out.