Lions don't blame officials, own loss after late OPI calls - ESPN

DETROIT — Still trying to process what just happened in the Lions' 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a red-faced Dan Campbell refused to blame the officials after penalties negated two touchdowns that would have flipped the outcome of the game in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

«We weren't able to close it out. And at the end of the day, that's on us,» Campbell said of the loss, which likely ends Detroit's playoff hopes. «We did that. We're the ones who put ourselves in that position to where we had to try to score on the last play.»

On the final play of the game, a fourth-and-goal from the 9, Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for a catch just short of the goal line before the star wide receiver flipped a lateral to Goff for what looked like a miracle, walk-off touchdown. However, officials had thrown a flag before Goff crossed the goal line after St. Brown appeared to shove off Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey to break free before the initial catch.

After a lengthy huddle, officials announced that St. Brown had committed offensive pass interference and that the game was over.

The NFL applicable rule to the end of game scenario is Rule 4, Section 8, Article 2 (b). The rule reads, in part: «If there is a foul by the offense, there shall be no extension of the period. If the foul occurs on the last play of the half, a score by the offense is not counted.»

The penalty to end the game came just three plays after another touchdown caught by St. Brown was negated by an offensive pass interference call against Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

Goff echoed his coach's stance of taking ownership for the loss but said he thought the penalty against TeSlaa was a «bad call.»

"[The officials] have a hard job, and I don't