Lions don’t blame officials, own loss after late OPI calls

Detroit–trying to process what just happened lions, 29-24 loss on sunday pittsburgh steelersA red-faced Dan Campbell refused to blame the officials as penalties negated two touchdowns that could have overturned the outcome of the game in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

“We weren’t able to close it out. And at the end of the day, it’s on us,” Campbell said of the loss, which likely ended Detroit’s playoff hopes. “We did that. We’re the ones that put ourselves in a position where we had to try to score in the last game.”

On the last play of the game, 9, fourth and goal from the quarterback Jared Goff Kill Amon-Ra Saint Brown With one pass just short of the goal line, the star wide receiver made a lateral flip to Goff for what looked like a miracle, a walk-off touchdown. However, officials threw a flag before Goff crossed the goal line after St. Brown pushed the Steelers cornerback. Jalen Ramsey To be freed before the initial hold.

After a lengthy conversation, officials announced that St. Brown had committed offensive pass interference and the game was over.

The NFL rules applicable to the game-ending scenario are Rule 4, Section 8, Article 2(b). It reads in part: “If the offense commits a foul, there shall be no extension of the period. If the foul occurs on the last play of the half, the offense’s score shall not count.”

The game-ending penalty came just three games later after St. Brown’s holding touchdown was negated by an offensive pass interference call against the rookie wide receiver. isaac tesla,

Goff reiterated his coach’s stance of taking responsibility for the defeat but said he felt the penalty against Tesla was a “bad decision”.

,[The officials] My job is hard and I don’t want to make any excuses or anything like that. “We were on the right side of a lot of them, and we were on the wrong side of a lot of them,” said Goff, who threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns. I think a few plays ago, I had a little more in my mind to explain on Tesla, but listen, man, they’re going to call, and I promise you if I was sitting on the other side of this right now, we’d be saying, ‘Nice job,’ but they sure sting and you wish they hadn’t called, but that’s what’s going to happen.”

When asked about the Tesla game, referee Carl Scheffers said in the pool report that “The reporting official for that game told me that the offensive player picked off one of the defenders, which created an opportunity for the offensive player to make the catch.”

steelers quarterback aaron rodgers He said it wasn’t the strangest ending to a game he’s been a part of and referenced the 2012 “Fail Mary” between the Packers and Seahawks. At that time, officials ruled that the two players had “simultaneous possession”, and Seattle was awarded the game-winning touchdown.

“I was trying to read Carl’s lips and see what he was saying, and I saw him mouthing ‘OPI, end of game,'” Rodgers said of the review on Sunday. “So, I was pretty confident about what was going to happen, but you never know. It’s more time. And I was there for the Fail Mary game. I was standing next to you from the replacement refs as they buckled under the pressure of an angry Seattle zone when it was clearly not a possession together.

“So, I’m glad it ended that way. Weird game. Glad we’re on top.”

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Detroit is the only team to commit two offensive pass interference penalties in the final 30 seconds of regulation in any game in the last 30 years.

“But it happens,” Goff said. “Listen, man, he’s got a tough job, and he calls our way all the time, but he’s especially [TeSlaa] You should not bow your head.”

With the loss, the Lions’ chances of reaching the playoffs dropped to 6% with two games remaining, according to ESPN Analytics.

According to ESPN Research, Detroit’s offense struggled to rush for just 15 yards, its lowest total in a game since 2016. Meanwhile, the Steelers racked up 230 rushing yards.

Afterwards, Campbell described the late-game scenario as frankly “frustrating”, but said the Lions would look to win their last two games at Minnesota on Christmas Day and at Chicago in the regular season finale.

“You can’t feel sorry for yourself. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t feel bad,” Campbell said. “But we have no one to blame but ourselves. It’s on us. And it’s on us to end it. We’ve got two people to go.”