Believe it or not, there is a rumor going around Cowboys Nation that NFL officiating is purposely avoiding calling penalties against the Dallas Cowboys opponents these last few weeks. It’s a little strange to think such a thing possible, but it’s hard to argue against it after watching the Cowboys play the Atlanta Falcons Sunday afternoon.
It’s a little bit difficult to believe there is some kind of conspiracy going on in the NFL. But then again, it wouldn’t be the first time conspiracy theorist stirred things up. I mean, look no further than the entire Colin Kaepernick situation and the rumors of collusion between NFL owners to keep him out of the league. Anything’s possible I guess and there certainly seems to be enough ammunition in the barrel to believe the NFL might have it out for the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones are obviously on the outs with one another. Jerry Jones has recently hired a lawyer in an attempt to block Goodell’s new contract, but this fight started long before this.
The NFL has seemed to have it out for the Dallas Cowboys ever since they started the investigation into Ezekiel Elliott’s domestic violence accusation. A lot of people believed it was a witchhunt from the get-go since Elliott was acquitted because of lack of evidence after a police investigation, but for some reason the NFL decided to conduct their own investigation anyway.
This of course all spilled over into the on-again/off-again suspension situation that Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in currently. Who knows how this will all work out in the end, but this was the ammunition I was speaking about that has fueled the conspiracy theory fire.
I personally don’t know if there’s a conspiracy between the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys. But, one thing is for sure. The NFL officiating has been absolutely terrible in the Cowboys games the last few weeks and it has definitely benefited their opponents. But, don’t take my word for it. Let’s take a look at a little bit of evidence from the Cowboys/Falcons game.
I want you to take a good long look at the picture above and try to explain to me why a photographer from the sideline can take a picture like this, but an NFL official standing a few yards away misses the facemask/hands to the face penalty? It doesn’t really seem possible they can miss a blatant penalty like this, especially with the focus on protecting quarterbacks.
That of course was just one of many missed penalties that should’ve been called on the Atlanta Falcons. Let’s take a look at a few more, because the conspiracy theory doesn’t look that far off base.
One of these was called roughing the passer. Another one was not. pic.twitter.com/MvtR8wDOKY
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 13, 2017
This is yet another example of the NFL officials missing an obvious penalty against the Atlanta Falcons. The officials could’ve called a roughing the passer penalty, a helmet to helmet hit, or even a launching penalty. They could’ve gone any direction they wanted here, but instead they failed to unleash the flag. Strange isn’t it?
The missed penalties not called on the hits on Dak Prescott should have absolutely been seen by the officials, but the hit on Dez Bryant should have been seen as well and flagged.
This was somehow not a foul. Don't tell me your league cares about safety, @NFL pic.twitter.com/eCkFRnyxa2
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 13, 2017
I don’t know how this wasn’t flagged by the back judge. This is the definition of a hit on a defenseless player and this wasn’t the only time it happened in Sunday’s game. The Falcons secondary was extremely aggressive and there were a few other instances where they completely laid out the Cowboys WRs like they did Bryant in the clip above.
I want to show you one more example that feeds into the conspiracy theory that the NFL officials have it out for the Dallas Cowboys.
HOW DO REFS MISS THIS pic.twitter.com/IUzhYTdW3p
— Cowboys Nation (@CowboysNation) November 12, 2017
Dak Prescott wasn’t the only Dallas Cowboys player who failed to get a facemask penalty recognized by the officiating Sunday afternoon. I honestly don’t know how they didn’t see Alfred Morris get his head and helmet twisted by a Falcons player pulling his facemask. It looks pretty obvious to me, but I wasn’t wearing a zebra suit.
Now, I don’t know if there is some kind of conspiracy going on or not, but it is blatantly obvious that the NFL officiating has been absolutely terrible when the Dallas Cowboys take the field. It’s hard to argue there isn’t some kind of conspiracy, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.
I do know one thing though. It’s going to be really tough for the Dallas Cowboys to win games when they have to beat their opponent and the officials week in and week out.
Blaming losses on the refs is a time-honored tradition. Cowboy fans are especially good at it.
Who is blaming the loss on the refs? I was merely stating all of the missed penalties on the Falcons. The same thing happen against the Chiefs, but the Cowboys won that game.
This is the cowboys fans mantra…..’the refs’… Why would anyone write this idiotic story and give life to this stupid theory that isn’t there. EVERY team complains about the same exact things….. the refs are human yet we expect them to find every little thing…..not happening. As a Cowboys fan my theory is this……hire a real coaching staff, get better at depth and play football, The End. Writing idiotic stories and whining about and blaming others for losses and trying to invent some conspiracy theory because you want to believe that this team is SB bound every year is just not smart. With the current situation there is NO way this team is seeing a SB anytime. How about you write a story on the puppet and the fact that he really didn’t start winning games until they brought in 3 former HC’s to basically do his job for him……..THOSE are FACTS. Use that.
Never once in the article did I blame the loss on the refs. I was merely stating that they have missed way too many calls here lately against Cowboys opponents. I’ve tried to buy into Jason Garrett as a HC, but I think it’s time to clean house with the coaching staff. I doubt it happens though. I don’t think they want to change things up, especially with Dak Prescott playing well in the system.
No you didn’t literally blame the refs for the loss. You just left it up to the reader’s imagination. It’s cool.
Bro a main player in this Jerry against the world issue is Arthur blank…. who owns the falcons. BLANK AND GOODDELL are boys! And all of a sudden the falcons don’t get ANY severe possibly Game changing g penalties called against them while playing Jerry Jones team? The refs were going to let players be injured and IRed for the year it looks like. Just to send a message to Jerry. Bank on it!!
I hate to think such a thing is possible, but there were way too many missed penalties against the Falcons. So, I guess it’s possible.
You left out the most egregious part:
There hasn’t been a holding penalty called against an opposing Offensive Line in six straight Cowboy’s games.
And who leads the NFL in holding penalties? You guessed it, the Cowboys.
Can you please tell me how Dallas’ much improved D-Line hasn’t drawn a SINGLE flag for holding by an opponent in six games?? Almost seems impossible – haven’t we heard for years that holding can basically be called every play, blah blah blah…
Edward, you’re absolutely right. The Cowboys DL gets held just about every single play, but there hasn’t been a single flag. I don’t know if there is a conspiracy or not, but I think we can agree the officiating has been downright appalling.
A penalty called here or there which was plain to see, and we would’ve at the very least had a chance to fight it out fairly.
That’s really all I want to see. A fair game called both ways.
This was the worst of the worst what the NFL’s Officiating crew did in the history of pro football as we the fans seen it on TV. Hey if you are blind ! an betting with the bookies this not blaming losses on the Refs. This is a fact Jerry Jones save clips an sue the hell out of the NFL this one you will win an the NFL thinks it’s to big to fail. Guess what its going to happen to the NFL !
There are way too many missed calls against the Falcons, but I doubt anything ever comes of it.
..definitely rigged..Stevie Wonder could have seen those penalties..the officials were told to do that..they had to be..it’s not like they were hidden in the pile..I saw Morris get that face mask on-screen, but no call?..buncha political B.S..not giving the fill-in tackles any help was also stupid..they had him out 3 yards..hell, anyone could have gotten by and they did..six by one rusher..he’s good, but not THAT good..
I don’t really buy into the entire conspiracy, but it’s obvious the refs are missing way too many penalties against Cowboys opponents.
It’s goodell sending a message to Jerry. It happens in every business in every walk of life. The nfl is run by humans. Why would it be any different….
How about this conspiracy theory… all pro sports in this country are fixed controlled regulated to control the flow of money to certain cities in this country. Houston had a catastrophe? Let’s guve them a title in baseball… generate some revenue there
The refs were very very bad on Sunday. It was mind boggling. I don’t know if it’s related to a conspiracy or not, but it’s awful.
John, that’s my way of thinking as well.
But after Thursday, I’m beginning to lean towards conspiracy.
Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh my mangina hurts….. STOP it. Go to ANY teams forum and you’ll read the same things over and over again ……’the refs are against us…..’ You know what? Here’s the real issue that no one wants to address….. how about you just hire a real coaching staff, have a better team and stop relying on other outside factors to help you win?
I’m actually ready for a complete coaching overhaul, but you can’t deny that the officiating was atrocious Sunday against the Falcons. It did have a huge impact on the game, but I don’t know if it would have helped the outcome many.
And if y’all out think about it… it alllll started with the zeke ordeal. All the penalties/non calls against the cowboys should’ve been an earlier sign of Jerry making waves against goodell.
The American sport sports fans are lemmings
Brian I love your points that first facemase non call was early in the game on 3rd down it would have been big, The big Dez missed calls of grabbing and hits etc each week no call. No our DBs called each time Anthony Brown lol now coaching is ok these clowns sayinv refs have nothing to do with it are DILLUSUONAL now with all that BS ATL played a good game I still think we could have won. I live in ATL note timely calls can sway a game PERIOD .
How about Jason Witten getting thrown down LONG after the whistle directly in front of an official on Thanksgiving against the Chargers? I saw several Charger lineman holding the Dallas D, NO FLAGS…. I know they are human. We all miss things. But when the Dallas line is getting holding calls and the opponent from week to week doesn’t get flagged, that’s not right. Dallas is the only team I will watch with the BS going on in the NFL. If this keeps up I will be done all together. Please don’t forget the Packers playoff game last year. That final drive where Rodgers completed a pass to put them into field goal range. Look at the tapes, a Dallas defensive lineman WAS held. No flag….