Cowboys Frustrated After Controversial OPI Call Derails Comeback Against Lions
The Dallas Cowboys were in the thick of a fourth-quarter rally Thursday night against the Detroit Lions when a critical penalty flag brought everything to a screeching halt. On a pivotal third-and-3 from the Lions’ 11-yard line, Dak Prescott looked to his trusted tight end Jake Ferguson-but the play never had a chance to develop. Ferguson didn’t come up with the ball, and instead, the officials hit him with an offensive pass interference call that left Cowboys fans, players, and even analysts scratching their heads.
The Cowboys would settle for a field goal on that drive, but it wasn’t enough. Detroit responded with another touchdown, effectively sealing a 44-30 win and snapping Dallas’ three-game win streak. The loss stung, but the bigger frustration lingered around that controversial call.
Jerry Jones: “There Was No Penalty”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t mince words when he addressed the call during a Friday radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan.
“There was no penalty [against] the Cowboys. Just not one.
Period,” Jones said. “I understand mistakes that officiating makes… We did not have a penalty on that call.”
Jones’ comments echo the sentiment shared by many who watched the play unfold. The call came at a crucial moment-third down, red zone, momentum building-and instead of a fresh set of downs or a potential touchdown, the Cowboys were forced to settle for three points. It was a momentum swing that Dallas never recovered from.
Prescott Speaks Out-Cautiously
Dak Prescott, who’s typically measured in his postgame comments, couldn’t hide his frustration either. He acknowledged the risk of being fined for criticizing officiating but still voiced his disbelief.
“Do I get fined for talking about this? … I’m sorry, that was bad,” Prescott said.
“I got to look at the film, maybe I can see it from their vantage point. I know I talked to the ref after, he said [Jake Ferguson] aggressively pulled through.
I’ve never seen a call like that.”
Prescott’s reaction wasn’t just heat-of-the-moment emotion. The quarterback has built a reputation for taking accountability and not pointing fingers, so for him to call out the call-albeit cautiously-speaks volumes about how much it impacted the game.
Broadcast Booth Weighs In
Even Terry McAuley, the former NFL referee and current rules analyst for Amazon Prime Video, didn’t see enough to justify the flag. During the broadcast, McAuley broke down the play and saw nothing illegal from Ferguson.
“Kirk, I just see him kind of swimming through. I don’t see offensive pass interference,” McAuley said.
“He swims through right there, which is perfectly legal and then gets grabbed. I just don’t see offensive pass interference.”
That “swim move” McAuley referenced is a common route-running technique used by tight ends and receivers to get separation-legal as long as there’s no push-off or hold. From McAuley’s perspective, Ferguson’s movement didn’t cross that line.
What’s Next for Dallas
With the loss, the Cowboys drop to 8-5 and find themselves in a tight spot in the NFC playoff race. The margin for error is now razor-thin. Dallas will need to win out to keep their postseason hopes alive, starting with a Week 15 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on December 14.
That game marks the final leg of their regular-season slate against the NFC North, and it kicks off what essentially becomes a four-game playoff run for Dallas. Every snap, every call, every mistake-from players or officials-will be magnified.
For a team that had been gaining momentum, Thursday’s loss was a gut punch. But with four games left, the Cowboys still control their own destiny. What they can’t control, though, is the officiating-and after Thursday night, that might be the most frustrating part of all.