Cowboys got away with two penalties.

According to CBSSPORTS.COM, Executives from several NFL clubs expressed extreme disappointment and anger at a TMZ video that appears to show the league's head of officiating, Dean Blandino, out for a night of partying in Los Angeles with Cowboys EVP and son of owner Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones. (sources: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/24652025/is-this-the-nfl-ref-czar-on-cowboys-party-bus-irate-nfl-execs-say-yes)

Flash forward to last night game, a defensive pass interference called on Dallas. Dez Bryant 15yards on field arguing PI with refs.41 seconds later flag is picked back up with no explanation. This has never happened before.

According to the NFL rules on pass interference.

It states that "There shall be no interference with a forward pass thrown from behind the line. The restriction for the passing team starts with the snap. The restriction on the defensive team starts when the ball leaves the passer’s hand. Both restrictions end when the ball is touched by anyone.
The penalty for defensive pass interference is an automatic first down at the spot of the foul. If interference is in the end zone, it is first down for the offense on the defense’s 1-yard line. If previous spot was inside the defense’s 1-yard line, penalty is half the distance to the goal line."



Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:

(a) Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver’s opportunity to make the catch.

(b) Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.

(c) Grabbing a receiver’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.

d) Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of whether the defender is playing the ball.

(e) Cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball.

(f) Hooking a receiver in an attempt to get to the ball in such a manner that it causes the receiver’s body to turn prior to the ball arriving.



Another incident which should have resulted in a penaly against Dallas was when Dez Bryant comes on the field with no helmet. Even if the Ref did not call the defensive pass interference, the ref should have called Dez Bryant coming on the field an automatic fast down for the Lions.

The NFL needs to come out and explain this to every Lions fan and the rest of the league. This is unacceptable.