Revisiting the Lions' wild 2023 loss to the Cowboys - ESPN

DETROIT — Two years later, Dan Campbell still gets upset at the thought of how the Detroit Lions' game at the Dallas Cowboys ended on the night of Dec. 30, 2023.

The controversial prime-time loss remains a triggering moment for the Lions coach. But that night, while never forgotten by the Lions and their fans, was the start of something more for a journeyman offensive lineman who emerged as a cult hero for his role in the contest that now bears his name in Detroit: «The Dan Skipper Game.»

Detroit thought it had sealed the win. With 23 seconds left and down by a point in a back-and-forth nail-biter between two of the NFL's top teams, starting left tackle Taylor Decker caught Jared Goff's 2-point conversion attempt to give the Lions a 21-20 lead. But a flag was called on the play alleging Decker had not reported himself as an eligible receiver. Officials said after the game it was Skipper, instead, who had done so. Detroit would go for 2 again, but it failed on two more attempts before ultimately losing 20-19.

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«I think more than anything it just makes you mad, that's about it,» Campbell said during Sunday's practice ahead of the Dec. 4 rematch with the Cowboys at Ford Field (8:15 ET, Prime Video). «But all good. If you're a fan, that was a heck of a game, I know that.»

In the days following that loss in Dallas, fans and the Detroit community rallied around Skipper to the point that now, Ford Field erupts every time he reports as eligible as the Lions' sixth offensive lineman for their jumbo package —