Thursday night’s matchup between the Cowboys (6–6–1) and Lions (8–5) turned into one of the most heated games of the season—not just because Detroit won 44–30, but because of a series of officials’ decisions that immediately set off a firestorm online. While Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs powered Detroit with three scores and Cowboys WR Ryan Flournot stacked up 115 yards and a touchdown, most of the discussion afterward centered on several controversial rulings.

The moment the final whistle blew, social media erupted. Fans from both sides accused officials of everything from incompetence to outright manipulation. Familiar national voices—Pat McAfee, Skip Bayless, Chase Daniel—joined in, stoking claims that the league had an agenda.

Are the “Rigging” Claims Real? Here’s What’s Verified

Although officiating mistakes undeniably shaped parts of the game, there is no confirmed evidence that the crew intentionally influenced the outcome. The NFL has dealt with complaints nearly every week this season, and this matchup simply produced another batch of disputed calls—not proof of corruption.

The officiating team, led by Alex Kemp, entered the game with a 65% accuracy rate across 12 outings this year. They threw 14 penalties—an even seven on each side. Below is a breakdown of the moments that set fans off.

Major Officiating Flashpoints

Q1: Prescott Sacked in the End Zone

Initial call: Safety

Revised ruling: Overturned; Prescott ruled down just outside the goal line

Reaction: Lions fans screamed bias, Cowboys fans admitted it looked like a safety

Assessment: Debatable, but ultimately aligned with the rulebook. Replay showed Prescott’s knee breaking the plane by inches, which is enough under current review standards.

Q1: Cowboys Defender in the Neutral Zone

What happened: Clear offsides on Dallas during a Lions third down

Officials’ decision: No flag

Reaction: Detroit supporters saw it as another missed call favoring Dallas

Assessment: A genuine blown call, though the league typically sees a couple such misses every game.

Q2: Holding on Detroit

Allegation: Lions lineman tugged a rusher during a Cowboys run play

Call: No penalty

Impact: Minimal—Dallas picked up the first down anyway

Assessment: Borderline; offensive holding varies widely by crew.

Situation: Jake Ferguson fighting for position vs. Alex Anzalone on 3rd-and-3

Call: Offensive pass interference on Ferguson

Outcome: Cowboys settle for a field goal

Reaction: Nuclear. McAfee suggested the crew “had money on Detroit,” Skip Bayless called it “daylight robbery,” and Chase Daniel said officials were “eliminating Dallas from the postseason.” Even former ref Gene Steratore said he wouldn’t have thrown the flag.

Assessment: Highly debatable. Replays showed Anzalone initiating contact, but the officials judged Ferguson to be the instigator. The Lions would’ve declined anyway, yet the penalty wiped out a potential touchdown chance.

Q4: Non-Calls on Lions’ Final Drive

Issues cited: Missed holding, potential roughing the passer

Result: No flags

Reaction: Jerry Jones questioned consistency after the game

Assessment: Probably missed calls, but the Lions line was physically dominant late.

How Much Did the Calls Actually Change?

At most, these rulings might have shifted the score by roughly 10 points. But Detroit still outperformed Dallas in yardage (480–380) and held a 27–9 lead at halftime. Even if the OPI had been waved off and the Cowboys scored a touchdown, Detroit’s 14-point victory margin suggests the outcome wasn’t hinging solely on officiating.

Why Fans Believe Games Were Fixed—And Why Evidence Says Otherwise

Fan Reactions

Over 20,000 posts on X mentioned the word “rigged” after the game

Lions fans insisted the overturned safety proved officials helped Dallas

Cowboys fans blamed the OPI for “steering” the game

Dallas is the second-most penalized team in the league, fueling conspiracy talk

Prominent Voices

Pro-rigging narrative: Bayless, Chase Daniel, and others implied intentional influence

Skeptical of rigging: Tony Dungy emphasized league-wide inconsistency, not bias

Rule analysts: Sites like RateTheRefs labeled the OPI “borderline but defensible”

Does the NFL Gain Anything From Rigging?

Cowboys games consistently rank among the most-watched broadcasts (averaging 25 million viewers), while the Lions draw about 15 million. But there’s zero evidence tying this game—or any specific calls—to gambling markets or league incentive structures. With other sports facing betting scandals, the NFL has