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#pounditMonday, January 13, 2025

Lions sent clear message to NFL with 1 play against Vikings

Dan Skipper catches a pass

Dan Campbell insists the Detroit Lions have moved on from the controversial way they lost to the Dallas Cowboys last week, but the coach’s Week 18 play sheet told a different story.

The Lions were leading 13-6 in the second half of their game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday when Jared Goff completed a pass to a very noteworthy receiver — offensive lineman Dan Skipper.

Skipper, of course, is the lineman that was ruled eligible on Detroit’s failed 2-point conversion attempt last week.

Detroit scored a touchdown with 23 seconds left to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 20-19. Campbell decided to go for two and the win, and it initially looked like the call paid off. Offensive lineman Taylor Decker caught a pass in the back of the end zone off of a play-action fake from Jared Goff.

However, the 2-point conversion was negated after the officiating crew ruled that Decker did not report as eligible. The Lions intentionally tried to confuse the Cowboys on the play, and in doing so they confused referee Brad Allen. The end result was Skipper being counted as eligible, not Decker.

Campbell explained this week why he feels the fiasco in Dallas will be a blessing for the Lions. The pass to Skipper proves that he is certainly still thinking about the play.