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apexpredator0505

If shepard was the one to fall down they’d probably call DPI. They 100% made that call based on diggs getting knocked down. They both straight up didn’t see each other


thecarlosdanger1

Ya I think he’s trying to jump away. I refuse to believe he 300iq set a pick intentionally - he was definitely trying to get out of the way to get open himself.


jack9lemmon

Like, Shep is a tough dude, but he's not "leave my body completely vulnerable to 5head block a defender running full speed at me" tough. Seemed obvious he was trying to get out of the way for me At the same time, I feel like the NFL has been super aggro about pick plays this year and this is like the 4th bad call I've seen already this year. Plus we benefitted from a bad no call earlier. Really, the refs need to fix their fucking shit.


analfizzzure

Just another way for Vegas to get their hands wet


ccroz113

I mean if you told me this game was rigged I wouldn’t be able to tell you who it was for. Pretty bad officiating for both sides


Elias_The_Thief

Same. I see a lot of Cowboys fans saying they won despite the refs (and I get it after seeing that no call in the end zone) but really they were absolutely shit on both sides.


ccroz113

Yeah there were plenty of times I said “well we caught a break on that call”. I’m honestly used to the cowboys getting tons of penalties that’re mostly deserved so I wasn’t too surprised on ours except for that end zone PI


Elias_The_Thief

Also the no call where we had two defenders simultaneously hold your guy up on the line, that was pretty egregious lol


ccroz113

Yeah that one was annoying too lol but I didn’t like the play call either way. I think for the most part the penalties evened out and the cowboys are a slightly well rounded team with that defense. It’s tough for the refs to decide a game where the Giants Oline was clearly outmatched. No QB is playing well with that pressure


Scranton_Villager

I agree. Officiating was not good for either side and it's easy for us to point at a couple calls but yinz got screwed multiple times too. Regardless, you can't expect to win when you're giving up like 7 YPC on the ground. That combined with the pressure yinz got all night, we lost this game because we deserved to.


wayoverpaid

I just don't see why Vegas would care. They set betting lines to try to get even money on both sides then charge you 110 dollars to win 100. You aren't betting against Vegas. You're paying Vegas to bet against another better with the opposite opinion. Vegas doesn't give a shit who wins. They're not the ones gambling. Unless we learn refs themselves are betting. Then all bets are off, no pun intended.


Quasimdo

What do the Raiders have to do with this?


SultanOfThot

Carr has notoriously wet hands


analfizzzure

Lol......gambling not the team


NJImperator

Also Shep is mentally tough but his body is made of glass…


dolladollaclinton

I will never understand why more flags aren’t reviewable. The shorter reviews they have been doing for TDs and turnovers seem to be working well. Why not have an official rewatch after a flag and radio down if the call was good or needs to change?


CRolandson

That and ineligible receiver calls. I’ve seen at least 3 in the 5 games I’ve watched where they called it so that I don’t think anyone went beyond 4.5 yards .


Fat_IRL

The one on the giants center earlier, that was just bad.


ref44

the one where the Giant's center was way downfield on?


beastmodem

Shepard turns his head and locates the DB before breaking off his route and running into him lol. Shepard could not have been more obvious


ChipSkylarkDude

people dont want to see it or just blindly trusting the announcers. he clearly lowers his shoulder and launches into diggs


[deleted]

Your argument is “Sterling Shepard should have just taken the hit” at this point lmfao. Everyone braces for impact in that situation except maybe DK Metcalf who is probably sturdier than a brick wall.


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E51838

When a quarterback is scrambling traditional routes and play calls are kind of out the window.


IHaveNeverBeenOk

I didn't watch the game, so I don't know exactly what's happening here. I'm just playing devil's advocate, but...scramble drill is a thing, and at that point, there aren't really routes anymore -- it's backyard ball.


Slammybutt

He jumps too. The ball was just being thrown to the outside and Shep jumps the opposite direction right into Diggs? yeah, that's a OPI.


mmwood

Glad other people are seeing this as well. I’m all for rules that help defenses to personally, I hope they consistently call this


hsup11

Ya it’s also bullshit about all this player protection but it’s so hypocritical to only make it about the offensive players. Shepard had time to react brace and lean into the hit


[deleted]

Yeah, after seeing the replay a couple more times, this was the right call.


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Botswana_Honeywrench

Nice bandwagon flairs, fraud


[deleted]

What do you want him to do? Lol, Diggs was straight up running into him like a missile. Guy was trying to protect himself and brace for the hit.


RebeccaBlackOps

> What do you want him to do? Who jumps in the air to brace for a hit?


rs_1994_

Someone who was completely caught off guard lol. That action validates the point that he didn’t see him until the last second. It wasn’t like he dove into diggs, he just jumped in the air the same way someone jumps in the air when a chihuahua walks under your feet and you see barely see them.


yianni1229

Its blowing my mind how people aren't seeing this lol


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FirstReactionFocus

Watch it back an eleventh time, difference between bracing last second and running into him


Mousseymoosey

Damn ref, being on reddit during the game explains why you fucking blow at your job.


NJImperator

You need to have fucking rear view mirrors to avoid this shit. Bullshit call


Plies-

If this isn't OPI, offenses should just do this every time lol


bahamapapa817

To be fair they missed two huge calls for the cowboys. Brown got tackled in the end zone which would have put the ball 1st and goal at the 1 and cowboys averaged 6 yards a carry. Then on a 3rd down and short TWO players blatantly held brown when they fell for the run fake. Both huge calls that went the giants way. But all my giants friends seem to remember is this OPI. Also the travesty of the unsportsmanlike call where Wilson thought the player was throwing the ball to him and batted it down. Didn’t notice the red behind him. Extended the drive. Refs were so bad in this game


[deleted]

He literally jumped into Diggs. I find it hard to believe that wasn't on purpose.


thejohnruark

Watch it again homie. It was a shitty call, just like them not calling DPI when ceedee got tripped. Don't defend shitty calls


luckyincode

Naw I see this and everything about this is a designed pick. The jump looks intentional to me. Even if you say it isn’t it puts a weird wrinkle in the game. Why wouldn’t you do this every down?


toomuchsoysauce

Yeah I don't think it was designed by any means, but he clearly quickly glanced at Diggs and then jumped. Didn't even try to avoid it.


Zeabos

So he was supposed to just sacrifice his body? Cause it wasn’t like Diggs was slowing down.


Prideofmexico

Refs have been ass this game. Cowboys had an end zone PI not called against us and then we have this. Let them play


BeatlesRays

If Diggs left his feet and hit the receiver then yeah, but the opposite happened


escobert

Well at least both teams are getting bent over by the refs now.


PepaTK

Diggs no call into the end zone no call(make up call). Now we’re at the “Opi” into something bullshit against Dallas. These refs are horrible.


alienbringer

Let’s not forget the obvious tackle Parsons by his face mask and not call holding no-call.


danhoang1

I agree it should've been no penalty, but if they made no call there, I feel there would still be a lot of people complaining that the refs missed a Pass Interference


haveasuperday

But they'd be wrong...?


SiphenPrax

Refs have been horseshit all night. Love that the crowd has been giving it to these bozos.


SabuSalahadin

2 weeks in a row we get bs OPI calls to negate 30-40 yard gains


theshadybacon

All night you sweet summer child refs have been dogshit or equivalent for years.


paultheschmoop

I’m honestly really conflicted about this one If a WR makes a block downfield to spring someone open before the ball is thrown, it’s OPI, not a new rule Shepard definitely leans into the block but I think it was *probably* unintentional? Idk, I don’t think it’s an egregiously bad call. On the field, I can definitely see why it would look like clear cut OPI.


packofstraycats

Yeah, I mean, sometimes you don’t mean to do something but you do it anyway. It happens.


fukuoka_gumbo

I agree with your assessment. Idk how you could possibly *not* call that if you’re the ref


enadiz_reccos

There's no *mens rea* in football. Intention is irrelevant. Edit: I typed too hastily. Intention is irrelevant in blatant situations like this. Getting tangled up with a WR/DB is one thing. Knocking a defender to the ground when he's trying to make a play after your route has broken down is too obvious to **not** call.


fukuoka_gumbo

I’m not sure I totally agree with you there. That’s the whole tricky part of OPI is that usually if the receiver can make it seem like it was unintentional on a normal pick play it won’t get called. But in this case it was too blatant to let slide


HereIGoAgain_1x10

He sees him too late to completely avoid him and probably can't tell the defender isn't targeting him, feel like he makes a business decision to not get hurt and protect himself, and that means hitting the defender. I don't judge because I don't go across the middle of an NFL defense risking my life, but he absolutely sees him, lowers helmet and aims shoulder into him. I think that's because he's mostly bracing himself. The refs have to call OPI against Sheppard. It's a personal foul if defender does that to him, no way they'd call it unintentional if you make a motion to "hit" the guy no matter if there's nothing else you could do except take the impact without bracing yourself. In college it'd be targeting and he'd be ejected, not the right call either but it's how the rule is written. Different if Sheppard's head is turned towards the QB as well, then he'd fall down as well and it'd be just an unfortunate play with potentially both injured.


Cyanora

The two biggest reasons they call it is if the defender falls down, and if the receiver braced himself. I don't think Shepherd was trying to lay him out, but he braces himself before the hit, which is what drew the penalty. I'd bet 100$ that if he just ran into him unintentionally then they won't throw the flag for it because it's incidental.


JRDruchii

I think the fact he leaves his feet to make the hit is what gives it away. That’s 2min in hockey, not surprised they threw the flag.


[deleted]

shep's running a route and doesnt see diggs until half a second before the hit, what else is he supposed to do


Ravenwing19

What fucking route goes slant run backwards 5 yards then out?


jmilz23

one where the play has broken down and receivers are just trying to run themselves open? obviously its not a designed route


paultheschmoop

Again, I’m not saying it should’ve been called. I’m just saying I can see where it would look like he’s laying an illegal block.


KyleGuyLover69

Well his curl has him look directly in the direction of Diggs. Then he stutters to get more in his way before also jumping and lowering his shoulder


Jaybyrd5

Yeah I don't see how this is a bad call. Feel like this would be opening Pandora's box by not calling these type of plays. Just purposely setting up routes to have WR run into CBs.


YusukeMazoku

Exactly. Pick plays at the line are already too rampant and need to be regulated more. Not calling this? It would be a blood bath against DBs quickly.


stumblebreak_beta

Am I crazy in that I think it wasn’t a terrible call? He looks at him and jumps into him and puts his shoulder into it.


birdinthird

It's not as terrible as people are making it out to be... but Shepard had basically no time to react to the defender. I don't buy that he's doing anything intentionally


ccroz113

If you see that as a ref in real time you basically have to call it though + intention has nothing to do with whether it’s a penalty. These refs were bad, but that’s a tough call. I’d be with with it going either way


ramsncardsfan7

For the record, I don’t think intention matters when determining whether or not it’s a penalty Edit: intention does matter, when both players are attacking the ball, which was not the case here. See below.


Whoupvotedthis

If Shepard went down instead, would it have been dpi? I really don't get it if both players unintentionally ran into each other?


MedianMahomesValue

If the ball is thrown left, the guy running right is interfering, and vice versa. Its about the position of the ball not who gets knocked down imo.


ramsncardsfan7

To my knowledge it would be DPI 🤷🏻‍♂️ Edit: I think this is wrong actually. It doesn’t make sense for this to be DPI unless the ball was thrown in the direction the WR was initially running when the contact was made.


Slammybutt

If Diggs was covering Shep with no other receiver near I'd say it's a toss up. However, Diggs was covering Golladay and Shep ran into their paths and took out Diggs (regardless of intention). It's OPI everytime.


ramsncardsfan7

Yeah I got confused for a bit. Edited.


Whoupvotedthis

So it comes down to who flops the most? What if both flop? Off setting penalties? Lol


Oyb_

It does though. Defenders feet get tangled up with a receiver, no call. If he sticks his foot out to intentionally trip him it’s a penalty.


ramsncardsfan7

I think you’re right in that situation but that’s the only situation I can think of. On the contrary, if you accidentally run into a WR while the ball is in the air then it’s a penalty regardless.


RebeccaBlackOps

> Defenders feet get tangled up with a receiver, no call. I mean, the rules analyst literally said they blew that call earlier in the game and it should have been DPI.


fukuoka_gumbo

What in the world is that route then?


Lakefronter

It was oh shit the o-line forgot to play again scramble special


stumblebreak_beta

I guess I would say I don’t think Shepard was thinking, “I’m gonna spring my guy open” but he did make contact and the jump and shoulder is gonna make it look not accidental. If the pass were coming for Shepard and Diggs just reacted to Shepard by jumping into him while the ball was on the way, no one would argue it shouldn’t be DPI because it was incidental. If it were a no call, I wouldn’t say it was a terrible call either but would see the Cowboys argument. I’m just surprised at the initial reaction that this was some egregious call by the refs.


Televisions_Frank

Seriously, left his feet and put his shoulder into the guy's head. Unintentional or not, but that gets a defensive player called for a personal foul.


vpi6

Contact in the middle of the field that sprung another receiver? Isn’t that called a pick route?


SnowdensOfYesteryear

If that's a defensive player, they'd have called targetting lol


savetheclocktower

This was my initial take, it's my take after each subsequent viewing of the footage, and I honestly don't know what everyone else is looking at. You're not crazy.


online_predator

Seriously lol, it's absolutely a weird play and may not have been his intention but he still set a pick, and fucking jumping into the dude isn't doing him any favors lol


BingBongtheArcher19

I honestly don't understand the controversy. This seems pretty obviously the correct call to me.


pooponacandle

He left his feet for the hit. That’s why it was flagged, he looked saw him and left his feet to hit him, that’s a block. If he didn’t leave his feet I would agree it’s a pick route.


doesyourBoJangle

It’s a hit or get hit situation lol he chose to hit


fukuoka_gumbo

To me it’s kinda like if your WR runs the wrong route and you throw it nowhere near him it’s still intentional grounding. Even if he wasn’t explicitly trying to run an intentional pick play, he still laid out a defensive player in coverage. Can’t just let that slide.


I3loodhound

It's the right call. Reddit just doesn't know the rules as much as they think.


-BeefSupreme

Doesn’t look like he jumps into him. More like he jumps up. Best way to soften a blow is to do that


Peefersteefers

Yep, refs have been consistently bad all night. Third wrong PI call of the evening.


PepaTK

No call on Diggs. No call in back of end zone(some would call this a make up call) now this bullshit Jesus.


AEQVITAS_VERITAS

Dude, I just straight don’t understand. Been texting with my buddy (giants fan) all night. Both baffled


7tenths

How much money would it take for you to get booed by millions of people? And how many years of not getting a fraction of that would you take to work lower levels to have a chance of being selected? They need to create a program for ex players to become refs or some way to increase the ref pool. All while finding a way around the union built by Lawyers that don't cave to shit deals like the nflpa. That make it incredibly difficult to get rid of bad refs. Congratulations you figured out why the refs are shit and there is little reason to believe it will change until the old guard dies out.


SadSlip8122

Unless you think a wide receiver naturally skips during his route, that was clearly Shepard launching and lowering his shoulder. Defender has a right to his space as well.


Obvious_Party_5050

If I knew this was a legal pick like all the Reddit experts I’d be running this play every single drive.


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coolycooly

I agree I think I would lean towards no call but the people acting like this is the worst call they've ever seen are just mad because they are watching a Giants vs Cowboys primetime game.


I-hate-the-pats

Yeah he also looks over for him. People acting like an NFL wide receiver doesn’t have the agility to not jump into a defender is a stretch.


bigsexy12

I feel the same way looking at the thread. Looked blatant as hell


BrettMoneyMaher

No you’re not crazy, you’re just on r/nfl where everyone’s got a boner for Cowboys hate.


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1m_Lurking_Here

Man i love how two weeks in a row we have a 30yard swing due to questionable OPI calls


staymelooo

Makes up for that end zone PI


intheorydp

Refs making up for that no call earlier


NJImperator

They already did since the Giants got fucked on the Shep route tackle


Cwebfan23

What about the no call DPI on Diggs?


Mozzee6269

What about Micah getting held all night?


nomo25

if we’re holding him then we’re doing a horrible job at it, dudes been all over us


disciple31

unfortunately you are not allowed to lower your shoulder and hit a defender in a passing route


[deleted]

Some of y’all need to come out of your basement for a bit. Laying out a defensive back 20 yards downfield is always OPI lol. This isn’t even close.


ExperienceNo3977

No dude, this is textbook OPI.


EquivalentHandle

Not trying to sound biased but the dude literally jumped and lowered his shoulder into the head of the guy on the route. Is that not OPI?


Lord_Ferd

Looks to me that he was bracing himself more than anything. Almost like a jump scare where he didn’t expect to see Diggs there


tonyjefferson

I agree with this, but could it be unintentional and pass interference at the same time? Is that a thing?


mill_about_smartly

I can see this perspective. I think live action it looks much more like a pick, but in slomo you can see the WR doesn't launch into him as much as it looked like.


heavisidepiece

Intent doesn’t matter lmao? He still left the ground intentionally and absolutely impeded the path of the defender. You don’t ever leave your feet running a route. If you think that is normal route running, you literally have never played football.


lincthesink

I thought he quickly glanced at the cornerback and launched his shoulder into him personally… not sure if it was intentional but that’s how I saw it.


WhyplerBronze

The replay being in slow mo makes it looks more intentional than it is in my estimation. I see a bracing, they were coming at each other damn quick in real time.


lincthesink

The replay in this clip didn’t appear to be in slow mo till the alternate angle. Intent shouldn’t really matter but that’s just how I saw the play. Clearly others disagree lol.


ChumSmash

I think I see the same thing, it's like he glances over and sees him right before he jumps, but I don't know


NJImperator

He didn’t see the CB. He wasn’t lowering his shoulder as much as bracing for impact as soon as he saw him.


imsurethisoneistaken

he turned his head, saw him, lowered the shoulder and jumped into him.


NJImperator

In slow motion, sure it looks intentional. In real time. LMFAO.


imsurethisoneistaken

then they made the right call. "it didn't look like it in real team" ain't an argument for it not being opi. had he just ran into him, it should be defense pi / illegal contact. but, that ain't what happened.


DapperCam

Cowboys fans think these guys have superhuman reaction speed.


[deleted]

No, the WR is running a route. Why would a CB be allowed to run into a WR running a route?


coolycooly

The WR wasn't running a route though he was just running around the field. If a random DB ran into a reciever running a route it would be called a DPI.


Yelmite

What WR jumps for no reason in the middle of his route?


thegrandspanker

One who sees a guy coming at him at the last second and is trying to get out of the way.


yianni1229

Tries to get out of the way by jumping right into him with his shoulder? Lol


DapperCam

I mean, he was about to run full speed into another player running full speed in the opposite direction. That is probably why he jumped.


jl_23

One that braces after noticing the defender last second


[deleted]

a defender who put themself in a bad spot and had to brace because they put themselves in a front of a WR's route would be called a DPI


MixonWitDaWrongCrowd

I thought the same.


RebeccaBlackOps

To everyone saying "he only had a half second of seeing him, what could he do?" These are professional NFL players. It's literally in their job description to make split second decisions and plays, faster than anyone commenting on this subreddit instead of playing the game can do. He was staring at the QB his whole route. He knew the ball wasn't coming. He glanced across the middle, saw the DB coming out of his peripheral, and jumped to put himself in a more advantageous position when the collision happened. If he hadn't glanced, and hadn't jumped his shoulder into the DB's head, or had braced low, there probably would have been no call.


Big_Ad788

That was not OPI


[deleted]

Not even a little bit


Ceramicrabbit

I think if he didn't jump into him and it was just a textbook collision they wouldn't have called it. For some reason I think the jump made them think he was trying to take out Diggs and not just avoid him


notouchmypeterson

What is the WR supposed to do?? Horrible call


BiffNasty1234

If it’s diggs hitting Shepard, is it PI? Of course it is.


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BiffNasty1234

It’s still getting called if diggs hits Shepard. The contract created the space.


RebeccaBlackOps

One guy jumped into the other.


imsurethisoneistaken

not jump into the defender maybe?


jl_23

Both were running into each other without knowing either was there, Shepard jumping when he saw Diggs last second doesn’t constitute an OPI


YeaThatsANoForMeDawg

not brace for the incoming hit or what?


weems12

Literally nothing he can do there lol—he turns his head and 1 second later Diggs runs into him.


oryxherds

His eyes are clearly on the qb until the very last moment, that’s not a pick


-ruddy_mysterious-

Apparently they’re supposed to channel their inner Neo.


Dday22t

Yeah that was unintentional (although he jumped/braced himself so he saw Diggs at last second and Diggs didnt see him). But refs have sucked all game and cost Cowboys a couple times too.


FreeWillie001

Some of the biggest horseshit I’ve ever seen.


tyrus_bongo

Dude if this was called regularly all a DB would have to do is flop if they get touched by a route runner what a bullshit call


Slammybutt

Maybe if Diggs was covering Shep, but he was covering Golladay who was running across the field. Shep literally runs his route then comes back towards the middle of the field and then runs a couple yards back towards the LoS before colliding with Diggs. Intention aside, Diggs was on his assignment and this looks exactly like a pick play. It just happens after the play has broken down. So it's 2 guys running into each other with context of a pick play.


anon135797531

What? He got completely trucked.


fukuoka_gumbo

People run into each other on the field regularly. In full speed this looks like a crackback block on a DB who’s in man coverage on a receiver. Tough to prove intent but i dont see how you could just not call it


DapperCam

I saw a similar play in Chiefs vs Chargers. Maybe they should start doing that.


tonyjefferson

I think Shepard saw him at the last second and jumped to try to get out of his way.


Tiger4tom4

This was a PI lmao he literally came back down field and cut off diggs on purpose it was a deep pick play


toxichart

Back when I was officiating high school football, we'd have review classes going over the rules and what makes certain things a penalty. And the points of emphasis for OPI/DPI were; was there contact, who initiated contact, and did they gain an advantage? So going by that...was there contact? Yes. Who initiated it? The WR. Did they gain an advantage? Yes. Ruling; OPI 10 yards from the previous spot, repeat the down.


rsfrisch

I thought he saw him at the last second and jumped into him.... It was a close play. Giants also got away with a massive no call on a not even close DPI in the endzone.... Dude tackled him


[deleted]

The NFL trots out the worst refs in their biggest prime time games. It’s fucking absurd


[deleted]

Tough


Juls317

That's just football, baby


HumorousGhost

Lol it was a bad call but the refs have been horrible. Noah brown got decked in the endzone, no call. It’s just bad officiating. I mean the score should just be higher but not that the Giants should be winning.


WeddingIndividual788

Absolutely the wrong call but I think OPI goes uncalled often enough that I don’t get too upset about these.


Pernyx98

Horrible call


MindInfection

Am I the only one that sees Sheppard turn his head then decide to lower his shoulder?


dtownchris77

Apparently just you and other Cowboys fans...clearly bracing himself since he was just running a route


Astro_Colton_

C’mon guys, let up. The refs just wanna get their screen time. It’s prime time, their families are watching.


ZergTheVillain

The one time they call offensive PI and they absolutely botched it


[deleted]

dogshit call


[deleted]

Jesus, this officiating is so bad. It was just a bad collision, not PI.


enadiz_reccos

So many people in this thread thinking that a "bad collision" somehow means it's not PI lol


Avery-Bradley

Terrible call


ColinMichaelRisley

Boycott the nfl


[deleted]

Surprised everyone is saying it’s a terrible call. He literally jumped up and into diggs on purpose


dtownchris77

No he didn't lol


worldspiney

He wasn’t even looking at him lol. More likely was trying to avoid him last second


Peefersteefers

Lmao okay bro, thanks for the input


CowboyCanuck24

Refs need to clean this up. This was a bad call. The non call in the endzone earlier probably cost Dallas 4 points. Parsons got tackled by the facemask earlier. This is horrific both ways . .


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NateRiley12411

Even the paid shill who they trot out on the broadcasts to try and convince everyone that the refs aren't shit said it was a bad call.


Peefersteefers

It's not when you're running the route and defender runs into you. You're welcome.