For the second straight week, the defining moment in a Dallas Cowboys playoff game involved the referees.
In the wild-card round against the Detroit Lions, it was the pass-interference no-call that later was determined to be somewhat incorrect. In the divisional round at the Green Bay Packers, it came when a fourth-down throw by Tony Romo to Dez Bryant was initially ruled a catch at the 1-yard line, only for it to be overturned because Bryant did not, as the rule states, "maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground."
The Packers got the ball and never gave it back, sealing a 26-21 win. Naturally, Twitter had a few things to say -- none more noticeable than this from the Lions:
Sorry @dallascowboys. We know the feeling: http://t.co/CfC95Nj3Q6. #CompletingTheProcess pic.twitter.com/7xuEA9FH49
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 11, 2015That picture directly references the infamous "Calvin Johnson rule," in which Megatron in 2010 brought Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 1 to national attention. (Fun side note: Both the Johnson and Bryant catches were overturned by referee Gene Steratore.)
Still, one can't help but detect a little salt left over from Detroit's controversial loss.
In other words, a quality tweet.
Meanwhile, a number of Lions players weren't so subtle with their responses:
Poetic Justice. Sorry Cowboys fans, but this is hilarious.
— Corey Hilliard (@slabzilla78) January 11, 2015It's Funny how life works... Haha
— Cornelius Lucas (@larry_lovestein) January 11, 2015Karma Always Comes Back Around.. But 🐸🍵
— Eric Ebron (@Ebron85) January 11, 2015Big names all around sports spoke up. Take note of the last one. That guy could have been facing Bryant and the Cowboys in the Super Bowl had things gone differently:
I by no means cheer for Dallas but I have no idea what or how thts not called a catch . Thts a joke
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) January 11, 2015Tough rule on that Dez catch.
— Jerry Rice (@JerryRice) January 11, 2015At what point did he not have the ball though!!?
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 11, 2015No need to review this play, it is a Catch.
— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) January 11, 2015Even though 99% of people would say Dez play should be a catch--including me--it has been consistently called no catch for the last 5 years.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 11, 2015Tired of this whole karma crap people are saying.. That was a TERRIBLE call
— Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) January 11, 2015Tuck rule. Part 2
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 11, 2015The officials got that Dez Bryant no catch wrong. Just cost them boys their season
— Brandon Browner (@bbrowner27) January 11, 2015Calvin Johnson image by Greg Trott/AP Photo.
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