Getty Leighton Vander Esch reacts during the Cowboys' 2022 playoff loss.
Karma, it is often said, is a real thing. Detroit Lions fans could be excused for not exactly believing that to be the case after some of the things that have happened to them through the years, but they received a welcome sight in the NFL Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Detroit’s last brush with playoff victory came in 2015, when the team was defeated by the Dallas Cowboys in very controversial fashion. The Lions lost that day thanks to a controversial non-call and flag that was picked up, so they’ve been smarting ever since and waiting for the Cowboys to their own retribution. While the Dez Bryant non-catch was some decent karma initially, fans were waiting for something much bigger and more heartbreaking to play out with the referees.
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Sunday, with the Cowboys driving late and trying to win, the referees didn’t spot the ball in time for the team to get one more chance at a game-winning play. Dallas also sustained 14 penalties on the day, which was a high total. While they were undisciplined, many Dallas fans likely thought the referees had it out for their side.
As many Lions fans such as CBS analyst Dana Jacobson explained, they never root for the Cowboys simply because of the blown call that cost Detroit a win all those years ago.
Most folks found it pretty delicious that the Cowboys and their fans were complaining about the referees, especially since the Lions have dealt with referee problems for a long time through the years.
On Gawd
Some even believed the frustrating way Dallas lost was funny thanks to their own heartbreaking experience watching the Cowboys beat Detroit in the playoffs.
Others took to pointing out the karma by showing off the play itself, reminding Dallas fans that they have no reason to be frustrated considering what happened to the Lions.
Many were simply mocking Dallas fans for crying about the loss given the way in which the Lions were defeated in similar fashion.
Finally, as some pointed out, the play did indeed feel like karma for the way the Detroit game was handled once upon a time.
Add it all up and it’s clear Lions fans don’t have a lot of sympathy for the Cowboys amid their tough loss. The sentiment? Welcome to the club and better luck next year.
Watch Cowboys’ Agonizing Loss to San Francisco
The play itself was questionable for Dallas given the fact that they had no timeouts left and a limited amount of time with which to operate. After Dak Prescott scrambled with the ball, the Cowboys and 49ers were rushing to get set as time ticked down. The referee had to move into position to set the ball for a spike, but by the time he did, the game had already ran out. Here’s a look:
The ref didn’t give the Cowboys the ball in time lol
For Lions fans, this play is pretty delicious to watch. It showed them that a team that many assume can simply buy itself out of a bad call is still capable of getting wronged by the referees late in the game. Additionally, the Cowboys should probably be blaming themselves after failing to run the right kind of plays in crunch time.
Lions Burned During 2014 Wild Card With Questionable Call
Why is sympathy so hard to come by for Lions fans? Probably due to past experience. With the Lions driving late in the game and clinging to a 20-17 lead, the team elected to keep the pressure on Dallas by throwing the ball on third-down. Detroit was moving the ball well, and seemed to draw a pass interference penalty on tight end Brandon Pettigrew when Anthony Hitchens knocked him to the ground. The flag was initially thrown, but Pete Morelli’s crew ended up picking up the flag much to the disappointment and confusion of the Lions. Here’s a look at the play again:
Stafford, for his part, shows his disbelief on the field, routinely asking for explanations from the refereeing crew. When none are offered to his satisfaction, he is forced to laugh off the call. For the Lions, it was no laughing matter. The team would go on to lose the game 24-20 in their closest brush with an ever-elusive playoff win since the early 1990s.
This loss by Dallas won’t give them a playoff win of course, but it does make things feel even after all these years of hand-wringing.
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