Getty Justin Jackson gets body slammed by Sam Williams in a 2022 game.
The Detroit Lions had a sloppy loss on the road against the Dallas Cowboys, and adding insult to the injury of their effort was more questionable calls by the referees.
Adrian Hill called the game tight most of the way, and while it didn’t seem like there was a penalty imbalance, it did feel as if a few mistakes were made that proved to be key by the end of the game.
Perhaps one of the most overlooked calls in the game came as Detroit running back Justin Jackson was slammed to the turf by Sam Williams. Normally, the play is an automatic personal foul. Instead, it was largely ignored.
Afterward, former Detroit offensive lineman T.J. Lang summed up the feelings of many fans when he said on Twitter that he didn’t remember the last time such a play wasn’t called as a penalty in the league.
“Don’t remember the last time this wasn’t a penalty,” Lang tweeted after the game.
It was pointed out before and after on Twitter that a similar play in Dallas made by the Lions had been flagged multiple years ago.
I guess throwing a ball carrier to the ground is only a penalty if it’s a Cowboys’ runner and not the other way around.
How much is Jerry paying these refs today? Lol
So why the inconsistency? Typically, body slam plays incur an automatic 15 yard penalty, but in this case, it went by the wayside and Dallas was allowed to make the play.
Safe to say this was the biggest mistake Hill and his crew made on the day, and played a big hand in stunting a Detroit drive. A few plays later, Detroit had turned the ball over again.
Lang’s surprise is largely something that the Detroit fanbase can agree with in a big way on the missed call.
The NFL Owes Detroit an Apology
It was a day of horrible refereeing from the Detroit perspective. While the Lions made a lot of mistakes and it certainly wasn’t the referees fault that the team lost, it’s undeniable they had a major impact on the game.
Not only was it questionable that the league didn’t look closer at a close turnover from cornerback Trevon Diggs, but the biggest mistake may have came later in the game with Detroit driving.
The Williams body-slam of Jackson was mystifying, and it was shocking how a personal foul was not called.
How is this not a flag? @NFLOfficiating
Once again, referees were not the reason why the Lions lost, but every small thing that happens keeps getting magnified because of where the Lions are at. It seemed as if there were two separate rule books for the Cowboys and Lions on some plays, which is unacceptable. This play only helped prove that.
NFL Should Try Harder to Protect Players
The play was a major black eye for the league and their referees, who constantly preach safety, yet let it go by the wayside in certain scenarios.
There’s been a big emphasis on making the game safe for quarterbacks, who are seemingly not allowed to be touched at all on the field in multiple ways. Sadly, other players are victimized on the field by unsafe actions.
A body slam should never be allowed, and the league needs to at the very least fine Williams for putting Jackson’s life in danger. Had he hit the ground harder, it could have meant a concussion or a more serious injury. Truthfully, the Lions and Jackson are lucky this didn’t happen.
Plays like this show the hypocrisy the league can have in terms of player safety. Weak roughing the passer calls are constantly made while others are in danger on the field in bigger ways such as this.