Embattled referee crew from Lions-Cowboys game assigned to Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game

Referee Brad Allen and his NFL crew that made the controversial call against the Lions last Saturday will be back this week to officiate the Steelers-Ravens game.

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter reported the news on Tuesday. Allen wiped away a 2-point conversion attempt by the Lions that would’ve allowed Detroit to take a one-point lead with 23 seconds to go in the game.

Referee Brad Allen and his crew — who last worked Saturday night’s Lions-Cowboys game — have been assigned to Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game on ESPN. So back on national television. pic.twitter.com/q5Uqo2j1tU

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 2, 2024

If you happened to miss the Lions-Cowboys games, here’s why most NFL fans know the name Brad Allen. The Lions, at least briefly, looked like they were going to beat the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. As a national television audience watched from home, Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed a two-point try to offensive tackle Taylor Decker. The score clicked to 21-20. However, officials stepped in to wipe away the two-pointer. Allen explained that the lineman who caught the pass didn’t check in as an eligible receiver.

Video showed that Decker did approach the referee. But the official identified the eligible receiver as Dan Skipper, who walked towards him behind Decker.

Maybe fans of the Steelers should feel a little anxious. It’s not bad enough that their flickering post-season hopes ride with what happens in Baltimore. The Ravens already own the top seed in the AFC and there’s a chance Baltimore coach John Harbaugh will sit dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Maybe Steelers fans should listen to Lions coach Dan Campbell. He acknowledged Monday that he had calmed down to “controlled fury” now that he was back home in Detroit. But he wanted everyone to just say no to officiating conspiracy theories. And that’s knowing that he was with the Saints when New Orleans lost in the 2018 NFC Championship game due to a blown pass interference call.

“Don’t buy into that. Don’t live in that world, man,” Campbell told reporters. “That will just pull you down. If it makes you feel any better, the NFL is against every team, all right? Because look, I was in New Orleans, so, I know what that feels like. And, but you know what? We walked away. Even in that game, we had chances to win before all that happened, but that one ended it. That was it, man.”

The Steelers need to beat the Ravens — they did so back in October — and hope for some losses. They’d then need the Bills or Jaguars to lose or the Texans and Colts to tie.