Picked up flag, While the talk of the NFL remains a controversial non-call in the Dallas Cowboys' playoff win last Sunday, there haven't been too many angry quotes from the Detroit Lions about it.
But quarterback Matthew Stafford was wired for sound for the game, and his reaction to the call to the officials presumably sums up the reaction of his teammates.
When the flag on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens was picked up, after the penalty on Hitchens was announced by referee Pete Morelli, Stafford was understandably angry.
"That’s unbelievable!" Stafford said to Morelli. "That’s unbelievable and you know it!"
The rest of the clip (the full clip will be on NFL Network's "Inside the NFL" on Wednesday night) is of Stafford on the sideline, in disbelief and looking for an explanation. He is told face-guarding isn't illegal and there wasn't contact on tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Stafford seems flabbergasted that the call was overturned.
"Congratulations, man," Stafford sarcastically tells field judge Barry Anderson, as he is explaining the call. "First time in history that’s happened."
