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'Decker reported' billboards spotted around Detroit after controversial Lions loss

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton•01/03/24•

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taylor decker lions
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lions fans still aren’t over the ending of the Cowboys game last Saturday. And what’s the best way to protest? Buy some billboard space.

Reporters in Detroit are starting to spot billboards along the major highways in the city. The message is a simple one.

“Decker reported.”

And then there’s a billboard with the Lions’ record crossed out. Instead, it says 12-4, not 11-5.

The Decker on the billboard is Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker. He caught the two-point conversion from quarterback Jared Goff. That temporarily gave the Lions a 21-20 lead late against the Cowboys with 23 seconds to go.

However, referee Brad Allen stepped in and said that Decker didn’t report as eligible. Try again. Detroit did twice more, with coach Dan Campbell shunning a kick for a tie. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons was offsides. The third try also was no good. The Cowboys won the game, 20-19, and are in control of the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Lions won the NFC North, so they’re at least the No. 3 seed. They’d need both the Cowboys and Eagles to lose this weekend to move up to No. 2. And yes, the Lions and Cowboys can meet again in the playoffs.

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Allen explained that the lineman who caught the pass didn’t check in as an eligible receiver. He identified the eligible lineman as Dan Skipper. Three Lions linemen did approach Allen before the first two-point try. But coach Dan Campbell and Decker said that Decker was the only one who reported as eligible.

The NFL emailed a video to all 32 teams earlier this week to defend Allen. According to a report in The Athletic, the video featured several angles of the Lions controversial call. Walt Anderson, the NFL VP for officiating, narrated the video.

“It is the responsibility of the player to be sure that change in status is clearly communicated to the referee by both a physical signal with his hands up and down in front of his chest and to report to the referee his intention to report as an eligible receiver,” Anderson said in the video.