The Detroit Lions fell to 6-4 after a defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles that came with a huge dose of controversy in the closing moments.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he wouldn’t tell cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to do anything differently after he was flagged for a controversial pass interference penalty that essentially sealed defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11.
Trailing 16-9 with just under two minutes to play, the Lions had a chance on third-and-8 to get the ball back from the Eagles and have a shot to tie the game.
It looked as if they would get that opportunity when Jalen Hurts’ pass to A.J. Brown fell incomplete, however, Ya-Sin was deemed by an official to have interfered with Brown, handing the Eagles a first down that effectively ended the game.
Collinsworth slams call
Replays showed very little to suggest Ya-Sin had interfered with Brown, with NBC co-commentator Cris Collinsworth left stunned by the penalty.
“Oh, come on… come on!,” Collinsworth exclaimed as he watched the replay back. “”That is terrible! That is an absolutely terrible call that’s going to decide this football game!
“If anything, it’s an offensive push! You want to call a foul, that’s an offensive foul… wow.”
The defeat dropped the Lions to 6-4. They are third in the NFC North behind the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. They are a half-game behind the San Francisco 49ers, who occupy the final Wild Card spot, in the race for the playoffs.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are tied for the best record in the NFC, having improved to 8-2 with the victory. They hold the tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Rams for the top seed in the conference.
Campbell defends Ya-Sin
Asked about the flag, Campbell defended Ya-Sin, telling a postgame press conference: “I thought he played defense like he did the whole game, man.
“I thought he challenged and played it like he did the very first rep that we played man-to-man. So I wouldn’t tell him to do anything different; man, get up there and challenge. Play your style and that’s it.”
For his part, Ya-Sin refused to criticise the officials, though he suggested Brown’s status in the league played a role in the penalty.
“It’s a call,” Ya-Sin told reporters. “I’m a seven-year vet going against an All-Pro player like A.J. Brown. He gets those calls, you know what I mean?
“Got to do a better job, just, I do a better job, get my head around maybe, or attacking the ball. The ref made the call. It is what it is.
“A.J. Brown, really good player, All-Pro player, sometimes, those kind of players get those kind of calls. So it is what it is. I gotta do a better job.
“I let them [the officials] do their job. I try to do my job.”
Referee explains Lions penalty
Referee Alex Kemp spoke to the pool reporter after the game and gave the official explanation for the foul called against Ya-Sin,
“The official observed the receiver’s arm getting grabbed and restricting him from going up to make the catch,” Kemp said.
“So, the ball was in the air, there was a grab at the arm, restricted him and he called defensive pass interference.”
With replays showing very minimal contact with Brown’s right arm before the receiver uses it to push into Ya-Sin’s chest, that explanation seems dubious at best.
But pass interference penalties are not reviewable, meaning the Lions had to accept the call and will now have to put it behind them as they look to clinch a playoff berth for the third successive season.
The Lions will be expected to get back to winning ways in Week 12, when they face the 2-9 New York Giants at home.