NFL gives Dan Campbell strange explanation about missed delay-of-game penalty

There’s a widespread acceptance that the Detroit Lions were the victims of a missed delay-of-game call just before their loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The NFL, apparently, is refusing to say as much in private.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Friday he had not asked the league for a written review of the non-call but did phone the league office for an explanation. The one he said he got was strange to say the least.

“It’s really a subjective call is really what it came down to,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “So I think they’re kind of split on it. Some are — it’s just, you guys have heard the procedure of it and I’ll be honest with you, I don’t even, I’m so over it now. I’m not even (thinking about it).”

Campbell’s attitude is the right one. There’s no use dwelling on it, and at some point, everyone has to move on. There’s another game this week, after all.

However, it’s a weird explanation from the NFL. There’s very little that’s subjective about delay of game. The ball is either snapped before the play clock expires or it isn’t. In this case, video from inside the stadium pretty definitively shows the play clock at zero. Had officials thrown the flag, it would have forced the Ravens to try a 71-yard field goal instead, which is a big ask for even Justin Tucker.

On the other hand, the Lions had the chance to get off the field and clinch the win on fourth and 19 the play before this one and didn’t. For that, they have no one to blame but themselves.