Cowboys beat Lions after Taylor Decker 2-point conversion called: 'I did exactly what coach told me to do'

by Colton Pouncey, John Machota, and Saad Youssef

What the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions showdown on Saturday night lacked in scoring, it made up for in momentum shifts, thrilling two-point conversion attempts and the pomp and circumstance of a Ring of Honor presentation.

The Cowboys snapped a two-game losing streak with a 20-19 win over the Lions at AT&T Stadium that saw Detroit come up empty on three attempts to convert a two-point play in the final minute of the contest.

Trailing 20-13, the Lions marched 75 yards in 1:18 to reach the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown. After appearing to take the lead on a two-point conversion pass from Goff to offensive lineman Taylor Decker, the Lions were flagged for illegal touching. It was ruled that Decker failed to report as an eligible receiver prior to play, and the points were cleared from the scoreboard. On Detroit's second two-point attempt, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons drew an offside penalty that erased an interception. The third two-point attempt failed as Goff's pass to James Mitchell fell incomplete.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said in the postgame press conference that officials told him the reason Decker was not eligible for the successful two-point conversion that was overturned by a penalty was because two players could not report as being eligible.

according to NFL Rule 5, Section 3, Article 1There is no limit to the number of players who can report that they are eligible in a particular game.

When asked why the illegal touch penalty was awarded at the first attempt, referee Brad Allen said Decker did not inform him.

“On this particular play, No. 70 (Dan Skipper), who had reported to me several times during the game, informed me that he was eligible. Then he lined up in the tackle position. So, he actually didn't have to report at all. No. 68 (Decker), who He ended up going up the court and touching the pass. He didn't report it. “So, he's disqualified for touching a pass that crossed the line, which makes it a foul,” Allen said, according to the pool report. “The problem is that No. 70 reported, and No. 68 didn't Do.”

Allen also addressed the second flag thrown on that play.

“Since No. 70 is reported as eligible and is covered on the line of scrimmage, that makes it an illegal formation. So, No. 70 is in an illegal position because it is covered by the law, and No. 68 is cleared, which is also illegal.”

After Detroit's third two-point attempt came up short, Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb sealed the win by recovering the ensuing onside kick.

The final play was a button on the historic performance for Lamb, who broke the franchise record for the most yards in a single season and scored First 200-yard receiving game of his career. The 24-year-old has 1,651 receiving yards through 16 games this season after recording 227 yards versus Detroit.

Lamb drove into the end zone for Dallas' first two touchdowns on a 92-yard reception that unexpectedly boomed off the hands of Dak Prescott after it looked like the Cowboys' quarterback would be taken down in the end zone. Prescott ran away from Lions linebacker Derek Barnes to avoid safety, then zipped a file The longest touchdown pass play in the NFL this season. It was the second longest The game's passing in Dallas franchise history, just shy of the 95-yard throw from 1966.

The Cowboys pulled off a dramatic escape against former coach Jimmie Johnson, who was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime.

What do players say?

Did the Lions have to do it again?

This one will sting for a while. The Lions had a chance to win the game, but were flagged for an illegal penalty after a two-point conversion pass from Goff to Decker, a pass that would have given the Lions the lead late in the game. On the next play, the Cowboys were flagged for offside, giving the Lions a third and final look. At that point, the Lions probably should have kicked the extra point. But Campbell went for it again and Gough's pass to Mitchell was short and incomplete. That was your game. Campbell was visibly frustrated by the illegal touch call. You knew he was going to have some comments after the game about it. — Colton Pouncey, Black beat writer

How Detroit stacks up

The Lions were eager to see how they would fare against one of the NFC's best teams. It turned out pretty good, despite the loss. They kept the Cowboys about 20 points below their home scoring average. They took the Cowboys to the wire in Dallas, where the team has won 15 in a row.

No moral victories, but if you were looking to see the Lions play at the level of an NFC contender, they did that tonight. Of course, there will be a lot to discuss regarding coaching decisions, play calls, etc. But overall, the Lions stayed with the Cowboys. At the very least, it should give them confidence heading into January. — Bouncy

The Cowboys would finish the regular season undefeated at home

It took a wild final minute, but the Cowboys finished the regular season undefeated at home. They can give the Lions some thanks because they decided to go for two on three different occasions after their last relegation. Eventually, the Cowboys found a way to end their two-game losing streak. It will be fun to see these two play again next month. — John Machota, Cowboys Beat Writer

Big Lamb Day

There was no bigger star on Saturday night than Lamb. The Pro Bowl wide receiver had a career game with 13 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown. In the process, he set single-season franchise records for receptions and receiving yards. Both records were previously held by Michael Irvine, who was in attendance.

After Lamb was not targeted in the second and third quarters last week in Miami, it was clear he was going to be targeted early and often. — Machuta

Ebb and flow in Dallas

The Cowboys' defense had a rollercoaster evening, with some troubling highs and some troubling lows. The high points were the turnovers, specifically interceptions by Jordan Lewis and Donovan Wilson. Wilson's interception, in particular, was a huge play in a clutch moment that could have ended the game.

However, after some questionable plays on offense, the Lions had enough clock to run for one final moment. The Cowboys' defense worked, as Goff methodically drove them down the field for touchdowns. — Saad Youssef is a cowboy writer

Highlight of the game

Required reading

(Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)